Week 4: Notes and Slides (4-5) Flashcards
What is a Beveled-Rim Bowl (BRB)?
A simple, mass-produced ceramic bowl, often found in large quantities at ancient sites, possibly used by elites to distribute food in exchange for labor.
What percentage of ceramics found at some sites are Beveled-Rim Bowls (BRBs)?
a) 25%
b) 50%
c) 75%
d) 90%
C
True or False
Statement: Beveled-Rim Bowls were produced in limited quantities and carefully preserved.
Answer: False
Reason: BRBs were produced and discarded in massive quantities, indicating their role as disposable items in centralized food distribution systems.
How does the production of BRBs indicate elite control over populations?
BRBs were used to distribute food in exchange for labor, suggesting a centralized control system where elites managed resources and labor distribution.
Why might BRBs be found in large quantities at certain archaeological sites?
BRBs were likely used as a standard measure for distributing rations, thus appearing in abundance at sites where labor was organized and food distribution was centralized.
How does environmental stress contribute to the emergence of social hierarchies?
Environmental stress can create a need for organized resource management, often leading to the rise of elites who control resources and guide societal responses to environmental challenges.
True or False
Statement: Early agricultural hierarchies in Sumer were military-based.
Answer: False
Reason: The hierarchies were primarily based on religious authority, with priest-astronomers holding power by interpreting natural events as messages from the gods.
What role did priest-astronomers play in early Sumerian society?
a) Warriors defending the city
b) Farmers producing food
c) Merchants controlling trade
d) Religious leaders interpreting celestial events
d
Why would the ability to predict natural events give priests power in early societies?
Priests who could predict natural cycles were seen as communicating with the gods, allowing them to influence agricultural success and secure their power by demanding resources for “divine favor.”
How did priests maintain power in societies dependent on agriculture?
Priests claimed to speak for the gods, attributing good harvests to divine favor and requiring offerings, while blaming poor harvests on the people’s actions, thereby consolidating control over resources.
Why might warriors become necessary in societies originally controlled by priestly elites?
While priests could manage resources and interpret environmental events, they lacked military power, making warriors necessary to address human conflicts and defend against invasions.
