Sumerian Culture… continued from last week
November 30th, 2008 by admin
Sumerian villages were built on mounds with houses clustered together on narrow lanes. Some houses were two to three stories high and the Sumerians had learnt very early how to make bricks and dry them in the sun or a kiln. The cities were protected by a wall all around it and the poor people’s settlements were outside these walls with houses made of reeds plastered in clay. Like every other ancient society, the Sumerian culture was centered on gods. The cities were built around the shrine of a local god. Any city’s wealth was reflected in the elaborate structures of its temples. Ramps and staircases led to the temples which stood on raised platforms. Temples were not only religious shrines but the entire Sumerian culture and its people depended on them for daily life. The temple complex had quarters for the priest, officials, accountants, singers and musicians. It also served as a treasure house for the city and a storehouse for grains, tools and weapons. Workshops for professions which were the mainstream of Sumerian culture were in the temple complex as well. These included bakers, pottery makers, jewelers, leatherworkers and spinners and weavers. Sheep and goat meant for sacrifice to the temple gods were also kept within the complex.
Sheep, goat, oxen, donkeys and dogs had been domesticated though horses and camels were still unknown. The Sumerian culture has been responsible for several inventions as they progressed as a race. The plow for agriculture, the wheel for trading carts, sail boats for moving bulky goods up the river and above all writing was invented to make easier the job of remembering details of trade.
Tags: fareast, grains, how to make bricks, kiln, local god, mounds, mso, orphan, paper source, ramps, reeds, religious shrines, staircases, storehouse, style definitions, style name, sumerian clothing, sumerian culture, sumerians, times new roman, treasure house
Posted in History | Comments (0)