Public Works
- Mesopotamian empire was the first civilization to understand the benefits of having a sewage systems (less odor, etc). Early sewage systems were made out of sun-baked bricks or cut-stone.
- Earliest know pipe came from Babylonia. It was a Tee and angle joint and was estimated to be made as early as 4000 BCE
- Dams and Dikes these were to control flooding.
- Canals were one of the most important public works, they were use to bring water to the fields.
- City walls was another this helped the city or city states be protected so it will make it hard for other army's to attack
- Many times Mesopotamian cities would have moats around them as well as towers or ziggurats (Religious towers) in their centers.
- Warehouses used to store food.
- These ancient governments started public works to improve the lives of city dwellers and farmers.
- Hammurabi (Babylonian King) promoted public works and reorganized the tax system throughout Mesopotamia.
- Some public works were built with corvee labor - that is workers would be drafted from the general population and put to work as a form of taxation by the state.
Job Specialization
- Farmers- The irrigation systems and yearly flooding from both the Tigris and Euphrates rivers helped farmers grow their crops. Very important role in the society as they fed everyone.
- Weavers- Evidence on sculptures, pottery, and in writings left on tablets indicates that a thriving textile industry existed in early Mesopotamia. This created the need of expert weavers.
- Potters- Mesopotamian were great potters, and the pottery of the region show that they were both practical and artistic. Built in multiple methods (coil building, slab building, and pinch potting), the potter's hands were one of the valuable tools. In addition to the traditional pottery such as food ware, urns, pots and bowls, the Mesopotamian potters also made clay figures, generally of Gods and Goddesses
- Scribes (writers)- Being a scribe was a very prestigious job in Mesopotamia. To become a scribe, a wealthy boy had to go to school for 12 years to learn how to write using cuneiform.
- Astronomers- Mesopotamians were the first to name Plants and Constellations. They also documented meteors, eclipses and comets. Believed that each Plants represented a different God
Banking- First to put all their valuables and money into one secure location. Also used interest for the first time in the world.
Musicians- Music was also used as accompaniment in recitation of poetry. Musicians were trained in schools and formed an important professional class in Mesopotamia. Early Mesopotamian beliefs and music practices retained prehistoric associations between music and the voices of spirit-animals.
Musicians- Music was also used as accompaniment in recitation of poetry. Musicians were trained in schools and formed an important professional class in Mesopotamia. Early Mesopotamian beliefs and music practices retained prehistoric associations between music and the voices of spirit-animals.