The People of Metropolis - Research Paper Example

0 Introduction 1 The Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a revolutionary period that took place first in Mesopotamia then spreadto other cities in the world. Human beings used copper, tin, and clay to create the potter’s wheel, which was the greatest innovation during this period. Other forms of innovations that took place during the Bronze Age include cuneiform writing, weapons, empires, laws, and development of cities1. Uruk, a southern city of Mesopotamia, was the originator of the innovations of the Bronze Age. The city was prevalent during that period because numerous humans had settled there because of the fertility of the land. The fertility of Uruk was enhanced by the existence of the town near River Euphrates, which provided the town with household and farming water2. The inventions made in Uruk spread to other kingdoms in Mesopotamia, for example, Akkadia and Babylon. The bronze period is, therefore, said to be an era of civilization because humans made use of their intelligence to create tools that made work easier. This indicates that, the innovation of the early pioneers of the city of Uruk undeniably made Uruk the cradle of sophisticated practices and the greatest city of the Bronze Age. 1.2 Problem Statement Uruk, the cradle of civilization was a peaceful city where people were governed by laws that were created after the invention of writing. The laws governed trade, agriculture, and social classes in the town during the bronze period. The iron wheel that was discovered in Uruk made the city more favorable than other towns in Mesopotamia. The invention of weapons in Uruk led to the rise of cities such as the Akkadia Kingdom. These inventions indicate that Uruk that is presently Iraq has an enriched history, but it has been forgotten because of the war in the country. The remains of Uruk are presently located in Warqa in Iraq. Today, Warqa is characterized by low population, dry land, and insufficient laws that govern the society3. Presently, the war in Iraq has led to the rise of terrorism in the country, which poses insecurity. Terrorism has increased in the country to the extent that militants possess weapons of mass destruction. The world focuses on the war and terrorism in Iraq, and the society tends to forget the rich history of the country. A review of the history of Iraq is essential because it will shift the focus and attitude. The shift will be desirable, and it will help citizens of Iraq to appreciate their history. 1.3 Objectives i. To find out whether the innovation of early pioneers led to the sophistication of Uruk. ii. To find out how Uruk influenced the rest of the Fertile Crescent. iii. To determine whether Uruk was the greatest city of the Bronze Age. 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Innovations of Uruk The major innovation that was made in Uruk is the potter’s wheel that has a wedge shape. The Potter’s wheel has four jars and five helms that enable the machine to rotate and move from one place to another. The rotating wheel was made from bronze, a metal that was made by mixing and heating tin and copper. The discovery of the wheel helped the inhabitants of Uruk to save time that they used to move pottery across different regions. The wheel also facilitated trade between Uruk and other cities such as Ur. The two cities traded goods such as ceramics and agricultural products. Before the discovery of the wheel, the communities did not trade, and whenever they did this, traders had to transport goods for extensive distances. This was tiring, and most traders gave up the business. The wheel played a major role of transporting weapons across states, for example, it was used to draw warriors and weapons across the Akkadia Kingdom4. The kingdom arose as a result of the invention of the wheel and weapons in Uruk. Metal plows were also invented in Uruk to facilitate farming in the city. The tools were made of bronze that was common during that period. The plows were pulled by oxen along wheat and barley farms in the city5. The innovation made farming easier because before it was discovered, the society used wood to dig; the sticks were not as strong as the bronze plows, and they often broke apart from requiring a lot of human force. These difficulties discouraged citizens from farming, and agriculture was not widespread at that time. The metal plows that dug efficiently enabled large scale farming, which then led to the production of surplus food that was sold to the neighboring cities. The production of surplus food led to the elimination of hunger in Mesopotamia. The farming also facilitated further innovation because the citizens were energetic and healthy. Other innovations that were made in Uruk include weapons, sophisticated pottery, turntables, and writing that developed as a result of trade. Writing enabled traders to account for their sales and profits, and it enhanced communication. The writing system was known as cuneiform, and it involved illustrating information on clay tablets that were then dried. The drying of the tablets enabled them to last for numerous years6. These innovations indicate that life in Uruk changed during the bronze period. Farming, business, transportation, art, communication, and security improved during this period. 2.2 The Influence of Uruk on the rest of the Fertile Crescent The innovations of Uruk spread to other cities in the Fertile Crescent, and this led to the development of these empires. The Fertile Crescent includes cities around Mesopotamia such as Ur, Babylon, and Lagash7. One of the ways in which the discoveries spread was through trade. Businessmen used ox-driven carts made from bronze to transport food, weapons, and pottery to cities such as Lagash. The foods included wheat, barley, legumes, and oat among others. The routes that the traders used were then developed into commercial roads. The routes were also used by travelers who were interested in other factors apart from trade. Some non-traders travelled to other parts of the Fertile Crescent for leisure because they had much free time. Other non-traders were in search of new economic activities, and as they travelled, they introduced their culture to other kingdoms. Farmers also travelled in search of more farmlands where they could grow more foodstuffs and sell8. Those who found new farms planted wheat and barley on a large scale basis, and they introduced metal plows in the new regions. The spread of innovation to the rest of the Fertile Crescent led to the creation of temples. Inanna was the first emple to be built in Uruk 3200 BC. The temple was built in the region because of the large population in the city, and it facilitated religious and economic interaction in the society. The sacred building was surrounded by settlements, granaries, breweries, and workshops. Administrative units were also constructed near the temple to govern trade in the city. The temples were used for religious sacrifices to the gods of the Sumerians. The community believed that the gods would enable them to carry out farming and trade efficiently. The culture of building temples extended to the neighboring cities such as Babylon and Ur. The Babylonian temple still stands today, and it is the surrounded by well-built concrete walls. Temples catalyzed civilization during the Bronze Age because they were used for rituals and sacrifices. The activities conducted in the temple were facilitated by cuneiform writings9. Businessmen calculated their sales and profits in the tablets, and the city’s administration used the writings to create and administer the laws. Cities used the innovations of Uruk to rise to power. An example of such as city is Akkadia, which is in the western region of the River Euphrates. Sargon, the ruler of Akkadia trained soldiers to fight with the bows and arrows that were made in Uruk. The king purchased large quantities of the weapons and used horse carts and boats to transport the tools to his kingdom. The king rose to power in Mesopotamia after conquering the Persian and Babylonian empires among others. The rise of the Akkadia Kingdom led to further innovation of writing. The empire reinforced the strength of the cuneiform writing by making it possible for people to wrap the tablets in envelopes, and still maintain the writings. 2.3 Greatness of Uruk Various archeological materials indicate that Uruk may have been the greatest city during the Bronze Age. An example is the sculptures that were found in the remains of the city. The sculptures were numerous indicating that they were manufactured in that region. Archaeology also shows that the wall surrounding Uruk is the most ancient among others in Mesopotamia. Archeologists have also discovered pictographs in Uruk. The pictographs are older than cuneiform writings that were used in other parts of Mesopotamia10. This evidence shows that the city of Uruk may have been the ruler of the region during the Bronze Age. An examination of archaeological artifacts and excavations will enhance the study to prove that Uruk was the greatest during the Bronze Age. 3.0 Methodology 3.1 Sources of Data The research will be a case study, and it will extract information from journals, peer reviewed articles, textbooks, and archeological websites. These sources will enhance the researcher to come up with clear findings that will help in making reliable conclusions. The research will also investigate the databases of relevant museums. The study will examine archaeological reports about Uruk to determine their findings and take them into account. This will help in finding out the age of artifact from various regions of Mesopotamia. The study will not be limited to these sources only as any other relevant material will be used to ensure that findings are reliable. 3.2 Data Analysis The analysis of data will involve comparing findings from various sources. The study will compare information such as age and shape of artifacts. The years that certain events took place will also be compared. The findings of various studies will also be compared to find out if there are any trends in the information. This will enable the study to formulate reliable conclusions. 3.3 Data Presentation The presentation of data will be done using pictures. Trends of information will be presented using graphs and any other relevant form of presentation. Read More