test 3 Flashcards
(49 cards)
urbanization
large, dense settlements—–> cities
Civilization
- urbanized state-level societies, or complex societies
- larger social order and set of shared values that are culturally embedded
characteristics of cities
-high population density
-more complex social and political organization
-specialization of production (full-time specialists)
-central place
-interdependence between cities and rural hinterlands
•cities provide services, economic, bureaucratic, religious
•dependent on subsistent goods (food) produced by farmers
-often function as marketplace
-centralized institutions
-monumental architecture
state
a political unit defined by distinct territorial boundedness and characterized by a strong central government in which the operation of political power is sanctioned by legitimate force
primary civilizations
independent development (1st civilization)
secondary civilization
influences from established civilizations had crucial formative impact
Urban Revolution
- After the Neolithic revolution, technological developments (metallurgy)
- craft specialists
- development of social stratification based on economic classes
- surplus production and centralized redistribution
Ecology and Irrigation
-Important factors derived from Childe’s model:
>large food surpluses
>diversified farming economies
>irrigation
➔all forms of agricultural intensification
-correlation between productivity, surplus and population growth
-exploitation of different ecological zones
-Irrigation as prerequisite for complex societies?
Wittfogel➔ hydraulic societies
technology and trade
-technological innovations (e.g., metals, wheel)
-control over redistribution
>prestige goods model
-different networks of trade and exchange
>different types of goods may be distributed through different networks and involve different groups of people
Warfare
- Thesis: Warfare plays key role in state formation
- competition for resources (e.g., agricultural land)
- coercive
Cultural Systems
- 1960s
- feedback between multiple factors
- degree of complexity seen in the ways of reaching decisions and the nature of the hierarchic organization
Environmental Change (Ecological Determinism)
-1960s
-processual (New Archaeology)
-environment may be favorable for developing complexity
-Criticism:
>ecology is seen as main factor for development
>does not account for ecological diversity
Uruk
- pop: 50,000-80,000 people
- one of the world’s earliest cities
- irrigation agriculture: cereals and tree fruits (dates)
- pasturalists and hunters
- marshes on Persian Gulf (enabled bird hunting, fishing, and water buffalo herding)
- point of exchange for several niches
Cylinder Seal
- small piece of bone/stone with a unique scene carved into it
- rolled into wet clay to create the scene
- evidence of craft specialization
Proto-cuneiform
- 3400-3100 BC
- sign of administrators
- new technologies introduced to track transactions including first forms of writing
- cylinder seals used to “sign” these
Cuneiform
- 2800 BC
- universal writing system
- developed in early dynastic period
Royal Cemetery at Ur (in Iraq)
- excavated by Sir Charles Leonard Woolley in 1930-1931
- Grave goods (gold and human sacrifices)
Akkadian Empire
- Sargon of Akkad took power in 2334 BC
- took over Sumarian city states
- lasted from 2334-2150 BC
- cultural influences continued after empire ended (such as language)
Imperial Ur
- 2112-2004 BC
- named after third dynasty of Ur
- Ur-Nammu founder
- capital of extensive empire
- monthly taxation in core territory
- 2004 BC Elamites captured imperial capital of Ur
Stele of Ur-Nammu
- 2060-1955 BC
- 10 ft piece of stone used as propaganda for ruler of time
- archeologists had to reassemble it (was previously destroyed)
Law Code of Hammurabi
- describe punishments (most of which were death)
- mostly concerned with property
- stolen
Late Assyrian Empire
- 911-612 BC
- Bloodthirsty God—-> ruthless people
- Demanded submission- threatened extreme violence
Neo-Babylonian Empire
- 612-539 BC
- Nebuchadnezzar (605-555 BC)
- increase in population
- Ishtar Gate, Babylon
Nile River
- flows north
- flooding of the nile
- barley, flax, cereals, papyrus, range of fruits and veggies, fish, birds, some livestock
- insulated
