HISTORY 26

Lecture One:

The Ancient Near East

HISTORY 26

Lecture One:

The Ancient Near East

The Ancient Near EastThe Ancient Near East

AgricultureAgriculture

Emmer Wheat BarleyEmmer Wheat Barley

BeerBeer

5th Dynasty Courage Brewery(c. 2500 BC) (1996 AD)

5th Dynasty Courage Brewery(c. 2500 BC) (1996 AD)

Fodder CropsFodder Crops

Bitter Vetch White Clover Bitter Vetch White Clover

Animal HusbandryAnimal Husbandry

• Oxen, donkeys, and horses (after c. 2000 BC)

• Sheep and goats• Transhumance

• Camels (c. 1000 BC)

• Oxen, donkeys, and horses (after c. 2000 BC)

• Sheep and goats• Transhumance

• Camels (c. 1000 BC)

The EvidenceThe Evidence

Clay TabletPapyrus

The EvidenceThe Evidence

• Berossus of Babylon (early 3rd century BC)

• Manetho of Sebennytos in Egypt (early 3rd century BC

• The Hebrew Bible (Christian Old Testament)

• Berossus of Babylon (early 3rd century BC)

• Manetho of Sebennytos in Egypt (early 3rd century BC

• The Hebrew Bible (Christian Old Testament)

The EvidenceThe Evidence

• Arabic - tell• Persian - tepe• Turkish - hüyük

• Arabic - tell• Persian - tepe• Turkish - hüyük

The Evidence - Problems

The Evidence - Problems

• Still inhabited• City and farmland

• Local topography• Financial constraints• Site identification• Politics and war

• Still inhabited• City and farmland

• Local topography• Financial constraints• Site identification• Politics and war