URUK - Anthropology

URUK
political authority & administration
1
“URBAN IMPLOSION”
URUK
TURKEY
IRAN
SYRIA
IRAQ
JORDAN
SAUDI ARABIA
URUK
ZIGGURAT OF URUK
WHO WAS
RUNNING THE
SHOW?
HOW WAS
POLITICAL
AUTHORITY
STRUCTURED?
ZIGGURAT OF URUK
PRIEST KINGS OF URUK
The centralized administration of Uruk was overseen by a priestking (ensi) assisted by a council of elders, including both men and
women.
12
URUK VASE/
WARKA VASE
URUK
landscape & cityscape
15
URUK
URUK
In the Late Uruk period, Uruk itself was the only true urban
settlement in the area - covered an are of up to 600 acres
SURROUNDING SETTLEMENTS
107 smaller settlements existed in the area at the same time - none
were larger than 37 acres, and most were smaller than 6 acres.
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IRRIGATION
THE
URUK
WORLD
SYSTEM
SOUTHERN PLAIN
 URUK WORLD SYSTEM
Colonies established by Uruk traders and settlers in order to
secure vital raw materials from the less developed margins of
the mesopotamian world
23
NOT A UNIFIED
EMPIRE
 REFUGEES
The presence of Uruk colonists at the peripheral centers
were refugees fleeing from a late Uruk period collapse in the
Uruk heartland.
25
 CULTURAL ADOPTION
These “peripheral” colonies were in fact indigenous regional
centers that chose to adopt Uruk style and material culture
in order to give them an advantage in prestige competition
with neighboring centers.
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THE
EARLY
DYNASTIC
PERIOD
2900-2350 BC
early dynastic period
28
MESOPOTAMIA
EARLY DYNASTIC PERIOD: COMMON CULTURE
COMMON WRITING
SINGLE PANTHEON
MULTI ETHNIC
MULTI LINGUAL
29
THE
SUMERIANS
SUMERIANS
One of the major ethnic groups in early (southern) Mesopotamia
with their own language (Sumerian) and cultural identity. Dominant
cultural forces in Ur and Uruk and provided the first historical ruling
dynasties
SUMER/SUMERIA
The region (southern Mesopotamian plain) associated with the
Sumerian culture. Composed of independent city states, but bound
together by a common culture
32
SUMER
KING LISTS
SUMERIAN POLITICAL STRUCTURE
Sense of unified kingship and dominance over the region. In reality multiple competing, concurrent, and overlapping dynasties, each
based in a specific city state
35
1st DYNASTY OF KISH
1st DYNASTY OF UR
1st DYNASTY OF URUK
SUMERIAN DYNASTIES
Like Egypt, a Sumerian dynasty was a sequence of rulers considered
to be part of the same family or lineage.
37
EARLY DYNASTIC
PERIOD
ROYAL
GRAVES
OF
UR
UR
UR
SIR
LEONARD
WOOLEY
2600-2350 BC
ROYAL GRAVES OF UR
Large necropolis just outside of the Sacred Precinct (south of the
great ziggurat). As many as 8000 lower status individuals, and 16
Royal Graves associated with the ruling dynasties of Ur
43
PG800
Queen (eresh) Puabi. Her name and title are known from the short
inscription on one of three cylinder seals found on her person. Puabi
is identified without the mention of her husband which may indicate
that she was queen in her own right. Buried with 52 attendants.
49
QUEEN PUABI
PG1237
Great Death Pit. Included 74 sacrificed attendants (6 men and 68
women). Half the women (but none of the men) had cups or jars,
suggestive of banqueting. Body 61 held a silver tumbler close to her
mouth. The neat arrangement of bodies convinced Woolley the
attendants in the tombs had not been killed, but had gone willingly to
their deaths - drinking poison.
58
PG779
Grave of Ur-Pabilsag (died ca. 2550 BC). Location of the Standards
of Ur (Standard of War & Standard of Peace)
62
THE AKKADIANS
AKKADIANS
Distinct ethnic group in (northern) Mesopotamia. Distinct language
(Akkadian). Achieved preeminence with the first Dynasty of Kish and
numerous localities to the north of Sumer.
AKKAD/AKKADI
The region (northern Mesopotamia) associated with the Akkadian
language and culture. Composed first of independent city states,
but transitioned to an empire.
68
AKKAD
NIPPUR
NIPPUR
SARGON OF AKKAD
Akkadian official at Kish seized
power in his home city and marched
against, and defeated, Lugalzagesi
(high king of Sumer) ca. 2334 BC
Took the name Sharru-ken (Sargon)
- which means “legitimate ruler”
Laid the foundation for a true empire
- the first supernational state in the
region
71
NARAM-SIN
TURKEY
IRAN
SYRIA
IRAQ
JORDAN
SAUDI ARABIA
AKKADIAN EMPIRE
Akkadian governors were appointed to rule major cities. Powerful
program of state propaganda which reinforced the authority of the
king and the notion of the state. Massive program of state
monument building and public works.
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COLLAPSE
 CLIMATE CHANGE
Increased aridity led to a three century drought. Southern
plain lost the ability to support large population and intense
agriculture.
76
 FOREIGN PRESSURE
Increased pressure from Gutians - “barbarians” from the
Iranian plateau/Central Zagros Mountains. Toppled the
Akkadian Empire and established the Gutian Dynasty.
Beginning of the Mesopotamian “dark age”
77
THE END