You have probably ever heard that the culture of Mesopotamia is the cradle of several of today’s civilizations, and there is a lot of truth in that, although it is important to know that humanity as we know it today derives from various early societies.
In any case, the culture of Mesopotamia , as we are going to call it from now on, has a lot to do with our roots, and that is why we want to focus on its birth, its characteristics, and what is the legacy that we can still observe from that civilization.
What is its period in time?
If we place it in time and space, we are talking about the end of the Neolithic period, an era in which humans were still engaged in hunting and gathering and, therefore, had a nomadic lifestyle, grouping themselves from a few individuals.
Where does it take place?
Regarding the geographical section, the Mesopotamian civilization could be located between the channels of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, a site that did not offer good conditions for hunting and fishing, and that, however, had all the necessary qualities for development. of a technology that would change human history forever: agriculture.
This means, in other words, that we owe to Mesopotamian culture one of the most fundamental events in the history of mankind, the first cities or at least stable towns, human settlements that began to stay in one place and not move.
Over the years, this civilization laid the foundations for animal husbandry as we know it today, gave way to the largest populations, organized by families and the division of labor , allowed the diversity of peoples by clearly marking the boundaries between both, opened the doors to the first discoveries in mathematics, astronomy and architecture, and more.
Contributions of the Mesopotamian civilization to humanity
- The writing system: the oldest vestiges of modern writing take place in this area, being considered even before the famous Egyptian system of hieroglyphics.
- The Code of Laws: Laws had never been written before, and the Mesopotamians converted them to stone and tablets of clay , in what is commonly known as the Hammurabi code.
- The Mesopotamian Calendar: By stopping and developing agriculture, these people took note of the seasonal changes, with special attention to the arrival of spring.
