Lesson One The Sumerians Flashcards
Silt
Small particles of fertile soil
The silt contains a small amount of animal droppings.
Irrigation
A way to supply dry land with water through ditches, pipes, or streams
My family shuts down our irrigation for the winter
Surplus
An amount that is left over after a need has been met
After thanksgiving dinner, there is usually a surplus of food.
City-state
An independent nation made up of a city and the land around it
Sumerian city-states were well protected by walls
Polytheism
A belief in more than one god
Some people have polytheism and worship more than one god
Ziggurat
A pyramid shaped tower with a temple at the top
My family and I visited the great ziggurat of Ur
Cuneiform
A Sumerian writing system that used the wedge shaped marks in soft clay
I am going to try to learn cuneiform
Scribe
A person who copies or writes out documents; often a record keeper
At the town hall, there is a scribe
Epic
A long poem that tells the story of a hero
Have you ever read the epic of Hercules?
