Mesopotamia Vocabulary

A large number of states or regions that are ruled by a single leader called the emperor or empress.

• Constitutional Monarchy

• Empire

• Democracy

• Oligarchy

Watering crops through man-made efforts such as ditches and canals.

• Dry farming

• Aquatic cultivation

• Irrigation

• Hydroponics

One of the earliest forms of writing invented by the Sumer. It uses wedge shaped marks to make picture symbols on clay tablets.

• Pictography

• Hieroglyphics

• Cuneiform

• Calligraphy

A person trained in writing cuneiform script. They were well-respected in Mesopotamian society.

• Scribe

• Scholar

• Artisan

• Philosopher

Large temples usually located at the center of a Mesopotamian city. Ziggurats looked like pyramids with a flat top.

• Obelisks

• Colosseums

• Ziggurats

• Pyramids

An advanced state of human society. Typically a civilization is marked by advanced government, agriculture, science, and culture.

• Tribe

• Colony

• Nation

• Civilization