vocab Flashcards
What is the meaning of the word ‘Mesopotamia’?
The land between the rivers
Which two rivers border Mesopotamia?
Tigris and Euphrates
What is a ziggurat?
A large temple platform built by ancient Mesopotamians
What is a cuneiform?
A system of writing used in ancient Mesopotamia
What is the Epic of Gilgamesh?
An ancient Mesopotamian poem about a legendary king
Who was Hammurabi?
A famous Babylonian king known for his law code
What is a ziggurat made of?
Mud bricks
What is the Code of Hammurabi?
A set of laws inscribed on a stele by Hammurabi
What is a scribe?
A person who writes or copies documents
What is a stele?
An upright stone slab with inscriptions or carvings
What is the significance of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to Mesopotamia?
They provided fertile land for agriculture and allowed trade routes and easy transportation
What is a ziggurat used for?
To honor the gods and goddesses
What is a stylus?
A writing tool used in cuneiform writing
What is the purpose of a city wall in Mesopotamia?
To protect the city from invaders
What is a ziggurat’s shape?
A terraced pyramid
What is the meaning of the word ‘cuneiform’?
Wedge-shaped writing
Sumer
The site of one of the oldest civilizations
Famine
An extreme shortage of food
Drought
A shortage of rainfall
Oasis
Fertile region of land in the middle of a dessert surrounded by water
Irrigation
How water gets to land to water crops and feed animals (sprinkler system)
Barter system
The system of trading between two civilizations
Nomadic
People who live a mobile life (don’t stop moving, never settle)
Polytheism
The belief in many godd
