Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia, an ancient Greek term meaning “the land between rivers”, is considered to be the cradle of civilization because this is where we find the origins of agriculture, written language, and cities.
It was known as the land between two rivers, the Tigris to the north and the Euphrates to the south. Rains were seasonal in this area, which meant that the land flooded in the winter and spring and water was scarce at other times. Farming in the region depended on irrigation from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. In ancient times, many resources in Mesopotamia were scarce or absent, which stimulated trade within the region and beyond. Supported by lucrative trade with its neighbors, Mesopotamia grew to become a powerful empire.
Life in Mesopotamia
Prehistory
The settlement of humans in the Near East began with the movement of Homo erectus off the African continent roughly 2 million years ago during the Paleolithic period. Over the course of several thousand years, Homo erectus spread rapidly throughout the Near East and then into Europe and Southeast Asia.
The first three phases of the Paleolithic period (Lower, Middle, and Upper) extend from roughly 2.5 million years BC through 14,000 BC. Each phase is defined by changes in human habitat, stone tool technology, and diet. During most of that time, humans lived in open-air campsites and in small natural caves. They hunted wild animals and fished, gathered wild plants, and wandered over a large geographic area.
During the Epipaleolithic period, between 14,000 BC and 9000 BC, humans lived in circular or semi-circular structures called pit houses. These houses often had hearths and plaster floors and sometimes several pits were linked together to form various rooms.
Plants and animals were domesticated in the Near East roughly between 11,000 and 6500 BC. By 9000 BC, modern humans (Homo sapiens sapiens) were living in settled communities throughout the Near East.
Between 6000 and 4000 BC, farming communities
It was known as the land between two rivers, the Tigris to the north and the Euphrates to the south. Rains were seasonal in this area, which meant that the land flooded in the winter and spring and water was scarce at other times. Farming in the region depended on irrigation from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. In ancient times, many resources in Mesopotamia were scarce or absent, which stimulated trade within the region and beyond. Supported by lucrative trade with its neighbors, Mesopotamia grew to become a powerful empire.
Life in Mesopotamia
Prehistory
The settlement of humans in the Near East began with the movement of Homo erectus off the African continent roughly 2 million years ago during the Paleolithic period. Over the course of several thousand years, Homo erectus spread rapidly throughout the Near East and then into Europe and Southeast Asia.
The first three phases of the Paleolithic period (Lower, Middle, and Upper) extend from roughly 2.5 million years BC through 14,000 BC. Each phase is defined by changes in human habitat, stone tool technology, and diet. During most of that time, humans lived in open-air campsites and in small natural caves. They hunted wild animals and fished, gathered wild plants, and wandered over a large geographic area.
During the Epipaleolithic period, between 14,000 BC and 9000 BC, humans lived in circular or semi-circular structures called pit houses. These houses often had hearths and plaster floors and sometimes several pits were linked together to form various rooms.
Plants and animals were domesticated in the Near East roughly between 11,000 and 6500 BC. By 9000 BC, modern humans (Homo sapiens sapiens) were living in settled communities throughout the Near East.
Between 6000 and 4000 BC, farming communities