Vocabulary Flashcards
Define Epoch
A particular period of time marked by distinctive features, events, etc.
Define Holocene
The geological epoch during which we now live. It follows the Pleistocene epoch and began roughly 11,000-10,000 ya.
Define Younger Dryas
A colder stage between roughly 13,000 and 11,500 ya. The climate became colder and drier but did not return to full glacial conditions in higher latitudes.
Define Natufian Culture
Referring to collector-type hunter-gatherers who established sedentary settlements in parts of the Near East after 12,000 ya. Diet included plants, animals, nuts, wheat and barley. These food were processed and stored for later. Built houses, storage faculties, and graves.
Define Rachis
The short stem by which an individual seed attaches to the main stalk of a plant as it develops.
Define Neolithic
“Neo” meaning new “Lith” meaning stone New Stone Age; period of farmers
Define City-States
Urban centers that form autonomous sociopolitical units.
Define Autonomous
Self-governing; independent; subject to its own laws only.
Define Sociopolitical
Of, pertaining to, or signifying the combination or interaction of social and political factors
Define Mesopotamia
Land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, mostly included in modern-day Iraq.
Define Ziggurat
Late Sumerian mud-brick temple-pyramid
Define Cuneiform
Wedge-shaped writing of ancient Mesopotamia
Define Pharaoh
Title of the ruler of ancient Egypt
Define Hieroglyphics
“Sacred writing” The picture writing of ancient Egypt and Mayan
Define Glyphs
Carved or incised symbolic figures
Define Mesoamerica
Geographical and culture region from central Mexico to northwestern Costa Rica
Define Stela (stelae)
Upright posts or stones, often bearing inscriptions
Define Codex (codices)
Illustrated books
Define Unification
The process of unifying or uniting; union
Define Inundation
To flood; cover or overspreading with water; deluge
What is a Sickle?
Useful tools for harvesting wild cereal grasses. An embedded row of small flint blades formed the working edge of this tool, the handle of which could be wood, bone or horn
What and where is the Levant Region?
The northeastern area of the Fertile Crescent where Natufian culture groups occupied during the end of the Pleistocene. The corner of present Egypt.
Define Plaster
A composition, as of lime or gypsum, sand, water, and sometimes hair or other fiber, applied in a pasty form to walls, ceilings, etc., and allowed to harden and dry
Define Nome
One of the provinces of ancient Egypt. Organized into two kingdoms; Upper and Lower Egypt
Upper Egypt
Located near the River Valley of the Nile River (northern part). There were little strips of land which didn’t allow the residents to build and expand as much.
Lower Egpyt
Located near the Delta of the Nile River (southern region). Mostly flood plain creating expanses of land. There was more room to build cities.
What is the Narmer Palette?
Named after the Horus Narmer; pharaoh of unified Egypt. A flat ceremonial palette that signified Pharaoh Narmer conquering Lower Egypt and the one responsible of unifying all of ancient Egypt.
Define Mastaba
An ancient Egyptian tomb made of mud brick, rectangular in plan with sloping sides and a flat roof.
Define Sumer
The southern region of Babylonia. Seat of civilization of city-states that reached its height in the 3rd millennium b.c.
Define a State-Level Society
A society characterized by a strong centralized government, socio-economic class divisions, a market economy and large populations
Define Ma’at
The goddess personifying law and righteousness
The geological epoch during which we now live. It follows the Pleistocene epoch and began roughly 11,000-10,000 ya.
Define Holocene
A particular period of time marked by distinctive features, events, etc.
Define Epoch
A colder stage between roughly 13,000 and 11,500 ya. The climate became colder and drier but did not return to full glacial conditions in higher latitudes.
Define Younger Dryas
Referring to collector-type hunter-gatherers who established sedentary settlements in parts of the Near East after 12,000 ya. Diet included plants, animals, nuts, wheat and barley. These food were processed and stored for later. Built houses, storage faculties, and graves.
Define Natufian Culture
The short stem by which an individual seed attaches to the main stalk of a plant as it develops.
Define Rachis
“Neo” meaning new “Lith” meaning stone New Stone Age; period of farmers
Define Neolithic
Urban centers that form autonomous sociopolitical units.
Define City-States
Self-governing; independent; subject to its own laws only.
Define Autonomous
Of, pertaining to, or signifying the combination or interaction of social and political factors
Define Sociopolitical
Land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, mostly included in modern-day Iraq.
Define Mesopotamia
Late Sumerian mud-brick temple-pyramid
Define Ziggurat
Wedge-shaped writing of ancient Mesopotamia
Define Cuneiform
Title of the ruler of ancient Egypt
Define Pharaoh
“Sacred writing” The picture writing of ancient Egypt and Mayan
Define Hieroglyphics
Carved or incised symbolic figures
Define Glyphs
Geographical and culture region from central Mexico to northwestern Costa Rica
Define Mesoamerica
Upright posts or stones, often bearing inscriptions
Define Stela (stelae)
Illustrated books
Define Codex (codices)
The process of unifying or uniting; union
Define Unification
To flood; cover or overspreading with water; deluge
Define Inundation
Useful tools for harvesting wild cereal grasses. An embedded row of small flint blades formed the working edge of this tool, the handle of which could be wood, bone or horn
What is a Sickle?
The northeastern area of the Fertile Crescent where Natufian culture groups occupied during the end of the Pleistocene. The corner of present Egypt.
What and where is the Levant Region?
A composition, as of lime or gypsum, sand, water, and sometimes hair or other fiber, applied in a pasty form to walls, ceilings, etc., and allowed to harden and dry
Define Plaster
One of the provinces of ancient Egypt. Organized into two kingdoms; Upper and Lower Egypt
Define Nome
Located near the River Valley of the Nile River (northern part). There were little strips of land which didn’t allow the residents to build and expand as much.
Upper Egypt
Located near the Delta of the Nile River (southern region). Mostly flood plain creating expanses of land. There was more room to build cities.
Lower Egpyt
Named after the Horus Narmer; pharaoh of unified Egypt. A flat ceremonial palette that signified Pharaoh Narmer conquering Lower Egypt and the one responsible of unifying all of ancient Egypt.
What is the Narmer Palette?
An ancient Egyptian tomb made of mud brick, rectangular in plan with sloping sides and a flat roof.
Define Mastaba
The southern region of Babylonia. Seat of civilization of city-states that reached its height in the 3rd millennium b.c.
Define Sumer
A society characterized by a strong centralized government, socio-economic class divisions, a market economy and large populations
Define a State-Level Society
The goddess personifying law and righteousness
Define Ma’at
