1. 3500 BCE – 500 BCE
First Civilizations

2. Objectives
Contrast civilizations with other forms of human communities
Explore when, where, how the 1st civs arose
Explore the structures of society
Show the differences in civs
Explore outcomes of civ, including positive and negatives for humanity

3. Civilization is only made possible by surplus produced by ag. rev.

4. Distinct features of Civ:
Cities
Monumental architecture!
Populations in the 10s of 1000s
Powerful states that could compel obedience and wage large scale warfare
Much greater inequality
Wealth and status

5. The very first civilizations
6 major civilizations

6. 6 major civilizations (plus many smaller ones)
Scattered around the world
Develop after 3500 BCE
Civilization is a global phenomenon

7. 1. Mesopotamian Civs Sumer ~3500 BCE First written language
Appearance of Egyptians and Nubians to the south at the same time.

8. Settled on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers Practice irrigation
(modern Iraq – Fertile Crescent)
Practice irrigation
Cities controlled by temple priests initially
Polytheistic religion –Ziggurat center of city

9. Cuneform – the earliest form of writing

10. Mesopotamia
Hammurabi ( BCE) created an empire out of the former Sumerian kingdoms
Uniform code of laws
Babylonian Empire ends around 1500 BCE

11. 2. Chavin 900 BCE – 200 BCE Capital located 10,000 ft in the Andes.
Many of them lived on the coastal plain or foothills near the coast.
Andean Cultures in Chronological order.
1.1 Caral
1.2 Chavín
1.3 Valdivia
1.4 Nazca
1.5 Moche
1.6 Tiwanaku
1.7 Chachapoyas
1.8 Wari
2.1 Chimú
2.2 Inca Empire
2.3 Muisca

13. Chavin
Coastal population traded fish, decorative shells for corn, shellfish, and other foods
Llamas were domesticated.
Developed extensive irrigation.
Chavin capital was located at the intersection of trade routes

14. Chavin Culture
Built many temples in pyramids in order to honor and worship gods and rulers.
Had many of the same religious beliefs as the Olmecs.
Class of priests existed and directed religious life.
Held power.

15. Chavin Circular Plaza

16. Huantar de Chavin
Left: drainage
Above: corridor

17. Gold Chavin
The sandeel monolithic has a length of 5 meters and represents a Chavín deity

18. Quipu: a system of record keeping used throughout the Incan and preIncan Civilizations.
Though the Chavin had glyph writing, subsequent Andean empires did not.

19. Just for fun…
Human remains found at Chavin show indications of cranial surgery and the odd, but common practice (in Meso and South America), of head shaping for beauty or medicine.

20. 3. Indus Valley 3000-2000BCE Elaborate cities
Standard weights, measures, brick sizes
Written script (as of yet deciphered)
Environmental collapse led to end of civilization by 1700 BCE
Later shaped Indian society

21. Indus Valley
The Harappan culture existed along the Indus River in what is present day Pakistan.
It was named after the city of Harappa. Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were major cities.
This Indus Valley civilization flourished around B.C.

22. Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa

23. Earliest Phase-Ravi (3300-2800BCE)

24. Old World Civilizations

25. Comparative Timeline

26. Indus River Valley
The similarities in plan and construction between Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa indicate that they were part of a unified government with extreme organization.

27. Harappa Site

28. Indus River Valley
A large public well and public bathing platforms were found in Harappa.
They had a sophisticated system of plumbing and sewage

29. Mound E Gateway Artists Conception -Grid layout

30. Ancient Indus