| Click to find out about the Land of Ur or Mesopotamia (the Greek word for the land between two rivers - the Euphrates on the west and the Tigris on the east.) The Land of Ur gave us the earliest cities such as Eridu, but it provides a background for development of the Arab world and the European world. As you explore this map. consider the pattern of usage of Mesopotamia over time by looking at the sites in the land between two rivers. |
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The Goddess Inanna ruled the people of Sumer, and under Her rule the people and their communities prospered and thrived. The urban culture, though agriculturally dependent, centered upon the reverence of the Goddess -- a cella, or shrine, in her honour was the centerpiece of the cities. Inanna was the queen of seven temples throughout Sumer. Probably the most important Sumerian contribution to civilization was the invention and creation of a standard writing and literature; the Sumerians even had libraries. Their literary works reveal religious beliefs, ethical ideas, and the spiritual aspirations of the Sumerians. Among these works are the hymns and stories of Inanna -- important here because they were recorded at a time when the patriarchy was beginning to take hold, and the position of the Goddess, although strong, was changing.