Histories
Uruk: The Birthplace of Civilization and Humanity’s First City
Explore the rich history and legacy of Uruk, from the invention of writing and agriculture to the timeless Epic of Gilgamesh.
Uruk, which existed between 6000 and 4000 BCE, was regarded as the most established Sumerian city one of the oldest cities ever developed.
It is believed that this city is one of the oldest in the world and that many crucial transformations define the history of mankind произошло here.
Thus let’s first of all discuss the positive and negative tendencies of the city we also call Uruk.
Beneficial Aspects: The First Major Steps of Humanity
1. The Birth of Writing:
The craft of writing was first in Uruk. Cuneiform script engraved on clay tablets is considered one of the oldest forms of writing in the world.
This development bore the right seeds of civilization because it facilitated the passing of knowledge from one generation to the other.
2. The Epic of Gilgamesh:
Uruk is the birthplace of the largest and most important literary work known as the Epic of Gilgamesh.
This epic, which shares the history of King Gilgamesh and the adventures in the search for these values as identity, friendship, heroism, etc, could be seen as the precursor of literature.
3. Agriculture and Irrigation:
Uruk was also an area where the original practice of farming was initiated. Irrigation helped to expand agriculture and allowed for population growth to expand resulting in the creation of cities.
As for agriculture, during this period wheat, barley, and different vegetables were being grown.
4. Domestication:
What must be understood is that one of the world’s first domesticated poultry animals originated from Uruk.
The first systematic poultry farming was conducted here which added into the diet of agricultural societies.
Detrimental Aspects: The First Problems of Humanity
1. Social Hierarchy and Inequality:
Civilization itself was evident as early as the Neolithic period and going hand in hand with this social stratification was also evident.
While living in Uruk people could clearly distinguish the rich and the poor as they could also clearly see the difference themselves now.
Peasants and workers were subordinate to kings, priests, and the upper class of people. Due to this inequality, social conflicts arose at some point.
2. Wars and Conquests:
Because Uruk was one of the largest and strongest city-states of the time one of its main activities was the confrontation of other regions.
These wars caused a drain on resources and lesser development, and both sides suffered huge losses in manpower. The expansion policies of Uruk made its existence filled with competition with other civilizations.
3. Environmental Impact:
So it can be concluded that the creation of the first agricultural and irrigation systems influenced the natural environment to a great extent.
Deforestation and intensive agriculture practice changed the river flow which consequently caused soil erosion and disruption of ecosystems.
These environmental changes in the long run lowered the productivity of agricultural activities and also affected water sources causing pollution.
4. Diseases and Health Issues:
The build-up of large cities demanded compact and dense population’s residing patterns.
This has also led to an increase in diseases and general health complications as diseases rapidly spread.
Failure to provide sufficient and proper sanitary conditions in the first cities was the foundation for the development of epidemics.
Conclusion
This is the conclusion of this article which seeks to illustrate that Japan’s historical and civilizational mirror reflects the contemporary situation of the world adequately.
As such, Uruk symbolizes some of the first collective actions of mankind on the road to social progress.
Thus, this significant city in the historic timeline presents the positives and negatives of the past and today’s setting with more in-depth comprehension.
The story of Uruk is the first chapter from the history up to the modern days about the savannah and pottery of the culture showing that we need to learn from history.
So, are you all set to dive deeper into history, to get to know more about the city of Uruk, and to find the thrilling story of this wonder?
References:
- Crawford, H. E. W. (2013). The Sumerian World. Routledge.
- Nissen, H. J. (1988). The Early History of the Ancient Near East, 9000–2000 B.C. University of Chicago Press.
- Van de Mieroop, M. (2004). A History of the Ancient Near East ca. 3000–323 BC. Blackwell Publishing.
- Leick, G. (2002). Mesopotamia: The Invention of the City. Penguin Books.
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