Some of Mesopotamia's economic activities as a civilization were agriculture, livestock, handicrafts, or commerce.
Economic activities are all actions carried out in a society, region or country with the aim of producing goods or providing services necessary for their livelihood and generating wealth.
Hanging Gardens of Mesopotamia.
Each country according to its geographical location, climate and social characteristics develops different economic activities.
Mesopotamia Means"land between rivers"and, as its name indicates, this area developed between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is now Iraq and a part of Syria and Turkey.
Evidence exists that the man inhabited that zone from the year 10,000 a of C. and throughout the history have settled different civilizations; Each adopted and adapted the practices established by its predecessors and provided innovations.
Being a fertile valley watered by these two important rivers, it is expected that the main activity of ancient Mesopotamia has been cultivation.
Main economic activities of Mesopotamia throughout history
One of the first settlements that settled on Mesopotamian lands was that of the Sumerians, about 4,000 BC.
The Akkadians arrived in the area from the year 3,000 BC, after heavy disputes that ended up displacing the Sumerians.
By the year 2237 BC, the Amorites imposed their dominion over Sumerians and Akkadians, resulting in the emergence of Babylon and also of Assyria, further north.
After long disputes, by the year 1175 BC the Assyrians remain in control of Mesopotamia and extended their dominions to territories of Egypt and Canaan.
They dominated such extensive territory thanks to their knowledge and skills in the work of the metal, which allowed them to be the first to manufacture iron weapons against which there was no possible competition. Even so, time afterwards the Assyrians were dominated by the fears.
By the year 539 BC, and after little more than a century of leadership of the Chaldeans through Nebuchadnezzar, the Persians invaded the region, until, around 330 BC, the Greeks arrived, later the empire Roman and finally, the Muslim empire.
The most remarkable feature of Mesopotamia is that, thanks to the fertile soil conditions, the villages left their long nomadic tradition and decided to settle in the place.
This radical change in the way of life of men until that moment, gave rise to the construction of the first civilizations of history.
On the other hand, the first settlers of this region - the Sumerians - were the inventors of the writing, which made an unprecedented leap forward in the history.
These two characteristics - writing and sedentarism - were the foundation stones of the organization of work, the creation of offices and the need for communication, indispensable premises for the development of humanity.
It can be said then that the peoples of Mesopotamia were the first to have an economic activity as such, which was developing and growing according to the growth and development of society itself.
It is logical to think that throughout more than four thousand years of history, of invasions and conquests of different towns, the economic activities of the place have been modified. However, what is known about its economic system is quite homogeneous and persistent over time.
The economic activities of Mesopotamia were based on:
1- Agriculture
The organization of the Sumerian people took advantage of the goodness of the Mesopotamian plain to manufacture irrigation systems and take advantage of the abundant river water and flood control.
In this way they managed to grow cereals such as barley, wheat, rye and sesame, as well as olive trees, date palms, grapes and some legumes.
One of the great contributions of Mesopotamian civilizations to the world was the introduction of the wheel and plow to tillage the land, great inventions and techniques that are still used in the fields of our day.
2. Livestock
It operated as an agriculture-based activity, with pig, goat and sheep breeding. The herding of cattle was a practice devised by this great civilization.
3- Crafts
The Sumerians made woven products with wool from sheep, as well as wood carvings, tanned hides, and metal and ceramic objects.
In this line could also include tables of cooked clay in which the first scriptures of the world were recorded.
4- Trade
Basically, everything produced was for the consumption of the population itself; However, it is known that when surpluses began to exist, they maintained intense commercial exchange with other peoples such as the Indian and the Egyptian, as they controlled both sea and land routes to and from the Far East.
With the passage of time the barter was formalized and incorporated the use of currencies in commercial transactions.
5- Metallurgy, woodworking, goldsmithery
The inhabitants of Mesopotamia were skillful workers of copper and bronze, skills that they applied in the elaboration of weapons very new for the time, as well as tools for the work.
Thanks to the exchange of its cereal and wool surpluses for precious stones from India, Phenicia wood and Lebanon, Anatolian metals and other raw materials that were not available in its area, an important industry was developed around these materials, Thanks to the elaboration of tools, utensils, jewels and crafts.
6- Textiles
As shepherding became a daily activity of the region, the Babylonians were able to gather a large quantity of wool for the trade and also for the manufacture of their own garments.
7- Construction
It is known that the Babylonians were a very active civilization and, in addition, made great advances such as controlled irrigation, plowing, sealing and sailing craft. They also built dams, dams and canals.
Mesopotamia was the origin of civilization. It all started there many thousands of years ago. Its rich history and legacies are worth knowing and studying in depth.
References
- Agriculture of Mesopotamia. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org
- Mesopotamia. Recovered from cienciasociales.galeon.com
- Pilar Benejam. Horizon, history and geography: first year of Middle Education. Volume 1. Editorial Andrés Bello. Page 128
- Joaquín Sanmartín and José Miguel Serrano (2006). Ancient History of the Near East: Mesopotamia and Egypt. Editions Akal.
- Carlos G. Wagner (1999). History of the Near East. Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca.