Chapter 2 Writing and City Life

It is often said that natural fertility and high levels of food production were the causes of early urbanization. It is because of the following reasons:
● Natural fertility encourages settled life and agricultural production.
● It paved the way for animal husbandry.
● Fertility of the soil was also helpful in the beginning of new occupations.
● Flourishing trade and commerce is also another major factor for urbanization.
● The development of art of writing and administration played a very critical role in the development of urbanization.

Following were the necessary conditions for urbanization:
● Highly productive agriculture
● Water transport                                                                                                    ● The division of labor Causes of early urbanization:
● Lack of metal and stones
● The use of the seals
● The military power of the kings that made labor compulsory. Outcome of the growth of cities:
● Efficient transport system .
● Trade and services developed.

Mobile animal herders were required to exchange ghee, metal tools, grains, etc. So they were not a threat to town life.

Early settlers began to build temples at selected spots in their villages. The earliest known temple was a small shrine made of unbaked bricks. These early temples were much like a house because they were small in size. There used to be an open courtyard around which rooms were constructed. Temples were the residence of various gods. Temples also had their outer wall going in and out at regular intervals, which no ordinary building ever had.

Temple, trade, seal making , sculpture and the art of writing were the new institutions that came into being with the beginning of the city life. These institutions depended on the initiative of the king.

Ancient stories tell us a lot about the civilisation of Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia was situated between the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers (now part of the Republic of Iraq) Mesopotamian civilisation was rich in wealth, city life, literature, mathematics and astronomy. One by one, three civilisation flourished there.
These included Sumerian, Babylonian and Assyrian civilisation. Its society was divided into three classes, i.e.

1. The upper class
2. The middle class and
3. The lower class

People belonging to upper classes led a life full of comforts and luxury and enjoyed special privileges. Agriculture was the main occupation of the people. Their life was normally prosperous. Religion was an important part of their life and people worshiped many gods and goddesses. Shamas was their main God. It was the Sun. Ziggurat was the name given to Sume ian temples. Another description from the Bible: According to the Bible, the flood was meant to destroy all forms of life on the earth. However, God chose a man, Noah, to ensure that life could continue after devastating flood on the earth. Noah, built a huge boat, an ark. He took a pair each of all known species of animals and birds on the board, the arks which survived the flood. When other things were destroyed by the flood, his boat remained safe along with all the species. Thus began a new life on the earth. There was a similar striking story in Mesopotamian tradition, where the principal character was called Ziusudra or Utnapisthim.