Quiz on Writing and City Life in Mesopotamia 8

What was considered an enormous intellectual achievement in ancient Mesopotamia?

• Creating pottery

• Building structures

• Writing

• Farming techniques

How many Mesopotamians were literate?

• Only the kings

• Most of them

• Very few

• All of them

What did a letter from an official typically begin with?

• Greetings to the king...

• To my lord A, speak: ...

• Hear me, O ruler...

• From your loyal servant...

What was Uruk known as in Mesopotamian tradition?

• The Center of Trade

• The City

• The Great Temple

• The Land of Kings

Who is associated with the organization of the first trade of Sumer?

• Hammurabi

• Sargon

• Enmerkar

• Gilgamesh

What precious materials did Enmerkar seek for the beautification of a temple?

• Ivory and gems

• Copper and bronze

• Lapis lazuli and precious metals

• Gold and silver

What did the messenger have to do during his journey?

• Cross mountain ranges

• Ride a horse

• Travel by boat

• Fly over the land

What happened when the messenger grew weary?

• He returned home

• He got the messages mixed up

• He wrote a poem

• He found the chief of Aratta

What did Enmerkar do when the messenger could not deliver the messages?

• Called for a meeting

• Gave up on the trade

• Wrote the words down on a clay tablet

• Sent another messenger

What does the text suggest about the complexity of writing in Mesopotamia?

• It was simple and easy to learn

• It involved hundreds of signs

• It was only for the elite

• It was not necessary for trade