Ancient Mesopotamia Vocabulary

Mesopotamia

• An ancient region located in the eastern Mediterranean, known as the cradle of civilization.

• A modern country in the Middle East, known for its oil reserves.

• A historical empire located in North Africa, famous for its pyramids.

• A region in Europe known for its Renaissance art and culture.

Trade

• The action of buying, selling, or exchanging goods and services between people or countries.

• A method of communication between two or more parties.

• A legal agreement to exchange property or services.

• A financial transaction involving currency only.

Scribe

• A person who copies out documents, often a record keeper in ancient times.

• A type of ancient writing instrument.

• A historian who writes about past events.

• A person who creates original literary works.

Caravan

• A type of vehicle used for long-distance travel.

• A group of people, especially traders or pilgrims, traveling together across a desert in Asia or North Africa.

• A festival celebrated in the Middle East.

• A traditional dance performed by nomadic tribes.

Cuneiform

• A type of ancient pottery from Mesopotamia.

• A system of writing first developed by the ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia, characterized by its wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets.

• A musical instrument used in ancient Sumerian rituals.

• A form of ancient Mesopotamian architecture.

Monotheism

• The belief in multiple gods.

• The belief in a single, all-powerful god.

• The belief in no gods at all.

• The belief in a god that is not all-powerful.

Code

• A system of laws or regulations, often referring to the Code of Hammurabi in ancient Mesopotamia.

• A type of computer programming language.

• A set of guidelines for ethical behavior in business.

• A collection of recipes for cooking.

City-State

• A large urban area that is part of a country.

• A city that with its surrounding territory forms an independent state.

• A type of government where citizens vote directly on laws.

• A city that is governed by a monarchy.

Famine

• An extreme scarcity of food affecting a large number of people over a wide area.

• A temporary shortage of food in a specific region.

• A situation where food is abundant and available to all.

• A natural disaster that causes widespread destruction.

Polytheism

• The belief in or worship of one god.

• The belief in or worship of multiple gods.

• The belief in or worship of no gods.

• The belief in or worship of a single deity.