Mesopotamia
lastmod 2014-05-03created 2014-05-034 edits
Mesopotamia comes from the Ancient Greek 'Μεσοποταμία', meaning 'between the rivers', and began to be used as a historical, geographical, and archaeological name from the time of Alexander the Great in the late 4th century BC. Geographically, Mesopotamia refers to the region around the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in the Middle East (present-day Iraq). Thanks to the fertile land naturally provided by the two rivers, Mesopotamia gradually developed into one of the cradles of ancient human civilization after humans began to settle there in the Paleolithic period around 6000 BC. Because of its open geography, Mesopotamian civilization had frequent contact with the outside world, giving it a complex political and cultural character. Unlike the closed Egyptian civilization, the two river basins were constantly invaded by foreign peoples, and the rise and fall of states and the replacement of peoples were extreme, so the culture that developed in this region was open and dynamic. Considering its cultural spread to the surrounding areas and its influence on later generations, Mesopotamian civilization has great significance in world history. In the Mesopotamian region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the rivers flooded irregularly and frequently, so large-scale projects such as flood control and irrigation were necessary. As a result, people gathered, various city-states emerged, and trade and commercial activity flourished.
Sumer
Sumer is the southernmost region of Mesopotamia, the southern part of present-day Iraq. Sumerian civilization is the oldest civilization in the world; it is not known exactly where the Sumerians came from, but they began living in the Sumer region from around 3500 BC. Sumerian civilization was at its height in the 3rd millennium BC, and historians usually divide this 1000-year period into three eras: the Early Dynastic period (2900?–2350? BC), the Akkadian period (2350?–2150? BC), and the Third Dynasty of Ur period (2150?–2000? BC). Then, around 2000 BC, the Amorites, a Semitic people from west of the Euphrates, that is, from Arabia, occupied the Sumer region and founded ancient Babylonia, and Sumerian civilization completely perished as a state. However, traces of Sumerian religion and culture remain in the myths, religions, and cultures of other peoples and cultural groups, including the Babylonians and Assyrians.
Gods of Sumerian mythology
The Sumerians worshipped more than 3,000 gods. Here are the most important gods among them.
- Anu
- Naver Knowledge Encyclopedia (Doosan): Anu (supreme god of the Babylonian pantheon)
- A god whom the Semitic peoples inherited from An, the Sumerian sky god, born between Anshar, the world of the heavens, and Kishar, the world of the earth. Living in the highest place, called 'the heaven of Anu', he ruled the universe with the help of his consort, the goddess Antu. Because he bore every emblem signifying power and justice, that is, supreme sovereignty, he was called by titles such as 'King of Heaven', 'King of the Gods', and 'King of All Lands'. Together with Ea and Enlil, he formed a triad of deities and held its highest position.