Describes the material infrastructure of the civilization of Southern Mesopotamia in the third millennium BC. Examines the climate, landforms, and other conditions that enabled the area to become populated, details religious ideas and basic conditions of life, and compares contributions to Mesopotamian civilization from the East and from the West. Other subjects include agriculture and diet, kinship, mortuary practices, and functional aspects of writing and sealing. Includes many bandw drawings and maps. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

zlib/History/Ancient History/Daniel T. Potts/Mesopotamian Civilization_21378184.pdf

Potts, D. T.

Comstock Publishing Associates

United States, United States of America

1. publ, Ithaca, NY, 1997

October 1996

PS, 1997

Includes bibliographical references (p. [312]-347) and index.

The Best Way To Achieve An Understanding Of The Art, Architecture, History, And Literature Of A Great Civilization Such As Mesopotamia's, D.t. Potts Believes, Is Through An Analysis Of Its Material Infrastructure. Concentrating On Southern Mesopotamia And Relying Preponderantly On Evidence From The Third Millennium B.c., Potts Describes A Civilization From The Ground Up. He Creates An Ethnography Of Ancient Mesopotamia Which Combines Knowledge Of Its Material Culture And Its Mental Culture. Potts Examines The Climate, The Landforms, And Other Conditions That Enabled The Area To Become Populated. What Natural Resources Did The Earliest Mesopotamians Have At Their Disposal? How Did Mesopotamian Religious Ideals Reflect The Basic Conditions Of Life In The Alluvial Plain Of Southern Mesopotamia? What Contributions To Mesopotamian Civilization Came From The East And What From The West? In Addressing Such Questions As These, Potts Offers A New Foundation For Understanding An Ancient Civilization Of Great Complexity. The Country And Its Climate -- The Aboriginal Population Of Southern Mesopotamia -- Agriculture And Diet -- Inedible Natural Resources -- Watercraft -- Pottery Production -- Metal Production -- Some Material Correlates Of Religious Life -- Kinship In An Urban Society -- Mortuary Practices -- Functional Aspects Of Writing And Sealing -- East Meets West -- West Meets East -- Some Reflections. D.t. Potts. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [312]-347) And Index.

The best way to achieve an understanding of the art, architecture, history, and literature of a great civilization such as Mesopotamia's, D. T. Potts believes, is through an analysis of its material infrastructure. Concentrating on Southern Mesopotamia and relying preponderantly on evidence from the third millennium B.C., Potts describes a civilization from the ground up. He creates an ethnography of ancient Mesopotamia which combines knowledge of its material culture and its mental culture.
The creation and development of Mesopotamia was made possible by the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. "None of the achievements of Mesopotamian production in the realm of agriculture, animal husbandry, or related industries (textiles, leather working, boat building)," Potts says, "can be understood except in reference to the very specific river regimes and soil conditions of the alluvium." Potts examines the climate, the landforms, and other conditions that enabled the area to become populated.
What natural resources did the earliest Mesopotamians have at their disposal? How did Mesopotamian religious ideals reflect the basic conditions of life in the alluvial plain of Southern Mesopotamia? What contributions to Mesopotamian civilization came from the East and what from the West? In addressing such questions as these, Potts offers a new foundation for understanding an ancient civilization of great complexity.

"The best way to achieve an understanding of the art, architecture, history, and literature of a great civilization such as Mesopotamia's, D. T. Potts believes, is through an analysis of its material infrastructure. Concentrating on Southern Mesopotamia and relying preponderantly on evidence from the third millennium B.C., Potts describes a civilization from the ground up.
He creates an ethnography of ancient Mesopotamia which combines knowledge of its material culture and its mental culture."--BOOK JACKET.
"Potts examines the climate, the landforms, and other conditions that enabled the area to become populated. What natural resources did the earliest Mesopotamians have at their disposal? How did Mesopotamian religious ideals reflect the basic conditions of life in the alluvial plain of Southern Mesopotamia? What contributions to Mesopotamian civilization came from the East and what from the West?
In addressing such questions as these, Potts offers a new foundation for understanding an ancient civilization of great complexity."--BOOK JACKET.

2022-04-21