Cave Paintings | 35,000 years ago

The Sumerians were one of the earliest types of this kind of civilization? What does that mean?
They were one of the earliest nomadic civilizations. This means they move around from place to place.

Why is the region of Sumer considered the Cradle of Civilization?
It is where Cuneiform was created. The world's first written language.

What could the Sumerians practice year round because of the regions climate?
Agriculture. This is what allowed them to stay in this region instead of moving away. 


Post an example of early Cuneiform (Sumerian pictograph).

Why was Cuneiform created?To help keep track of business transactions.

What medium was used to "write" Cuneiform? Explain the process of preparing and writing on this surface?
They wrote on clay tablets. They would wet the clay, form it into flat surfaces and then use a wedge shaped stylus made from reeds to make impressions into the clay surface.


What did Cuneiform begin as a series of? 
Pictographs.

Post an example of evolved Cuneiform (wedge-shaped).

After it evolved over time, what shape did the characters of Cuneiform evolve into?
They evolved into a wedge-shaped language.


Post an example of Akkadian Cuneiform.

After the Akkadians conquered, what happened to the Sumerian culture and written language?
The Akkadians adopted the Sumerian culture and their written language.



What is a pictograph?
A pictorial or visual representation of an object.

Why did the creation of Cuneiform allow the Sumerians to become a sophisticated culture?
They could record history and keep track of things they normally wouldn't be able to do, making them more organized than most civilizations.