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{{Template:Ancient history by continent}}
[[Image:Ancient Orient.png|thumb|350px|Overview map of the ancient Near East]]
'''Ancient Near East history''' is the study of the [[document]]ed past from the beginning of [[recorded history]] until the [[Early Middle Ages]].<ref name="historyofworldnet">[http://www.historyofworld.net/ancient-history_m,7~o,3~i,47.html ancient-history, historyofworld.net]</ref> The breadth of ancient [[history]] includes centuries of human activity in the area of the [[Near East]].

The '''[[Ancient Near East]]''' refers to early [[civilization]]s within a region roughly corresponding to the modern [[Middle East]]: [[Mesopotamia]] (modern [[Iraq]] and [[Syria]]), [[Persia]] (modern [[Iran]]), [[Anatolia]] (modern [[Turkey]]), the [[Levant]] (modern [[Syria]], [[Lebanon]], [[Israel]], [[Palestine]], and [[Jordan]]), and [[Ancient Egypt]], from the rise of [[Sumer]] in the 4th millennium BCE until the region's conquest by [[Alexander the Great]] in the 4th century BCE, or covering both the [[Bronze Age]] and the [[Iron Age]] in the region. As such, it is a term widely employed in the fields of [[Near Eastern archaeology]], [[ancient history]] and [[Egyptology]].
Some would exclude [[Egypt]] from the ancient Near East as a geographically and culturally distinct area. However, because of Egypt's intimate involvement with the region, especially from the [[2nd millennium BCE]], this exclusion is rare.


The Ancient Near East is considered the [[cradle of civilization]]. It was the first to practice intensive year-round [[agriculture]]; it gave us the first [[history of writing|writing system]], invented the [[potter's wheel]] and then the vehicular- and mill [[wheel]], created the first [[centralized government]]s, [[law code]]s and [[empire]]s, as well as introducing [[social stratification]], [[slavery]] and organized [[warfare]], and it laid the foundation for the fields of [[astronomy]] and [[mathematics]].
The Ancient Near East is considered the [[cradle of civilization]]. It was the first to practice intensive year-round [[agriculture]]; it gave us the first [[history of writing|writing system]], invented the [[potter's wheel]] and then the vehicular- and mill [[wheel]], created the first [[centralized government]]s, [[law code]]s and [[empire]]s, as well as introducing [[social stratification]], [[slavery]] and organized [[warfare]], and it laid the foundation for the fields of [[astronomy]] and [[mathematics]].


==Regions==
==Regions==
[[Image:Ancient Orient.png|thumb|350px|Overview map of the ancient Near East]]
Major regions during ancient times include:

* [[Mesopotamia]]
It refers to early [[civilization]]s within a region roughly corresponding to the modern [[Middle East]]: [[Mesopotamia]] (modern [[Iraq]] and [[Syria]]), [[Persia]] (modern [[Iran]]), [[Anatolia]] (modern [[Turkey]]), the [[Levant]] (modern [[Syria]], [[Lebanon]], [[Israel]], [[Palestine]], and [[Jordan]]), and [[Ancient Egypt]], from the rise of [[Sumer]] in the 4th millennium BCE until the region's conquest by [[Alexander the Great]] in the 4th century BCE, or covering both the [[Bronze Age]] and the [[Iron Age]] in the region. As such, it is a term widely employed in the fields of [[Near Eastern archaeology]], [[ancient history]] and [[Egyptology]]. Some would exclude [[Egypt]] from the ancient Near East as a geographically and culturally distinct area. However, because of Egypt's intimate involvement with the region, especially from the [[2nd millennium BCE]], this exclusion is rare.
* [[Persian Empire|Persia]]

* [[Anatolia]]
Geographic regions during ancient times include:
* [[Levant]]
; [[Mesopotamia]]
* [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]]
; [[Persian Empire|Persia]]
; [[Anatolia]]
; [[Levant]]
; [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]]

==History==
{{Main|Timeline of Middle Eastern History}}

Cultures, peoples and empires of the Ancient Near East, by period.
===Chalcolithic===


==Periodization==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|rowspan=8|'''[[Stone age]]''' <br> ([[2,000,000 BP]] - [[3300 BCE]])
|rowspan=8|'''[[Stone age]]''' <br> ([[2,000,000 BP]] - [[3300 BCE]])
Line 44: Line 51:
| [[4000 BCE]] - [[3300 BCE]]
| [[4000 BCE]] - [[3300 BCE]]
|-
|-
|}

The [[Predynastic Period]] of Egypt (prior to 3100 BC) is traditionally the period between the Early Neolithic and the beginning of the Pharaonic monarchy beginning with King Narmer. However, the dates of the predynastic period were first defined before widespread archaeological excavation of Egypt had taken place, and recent finds which show the course of predynastic development to have been very gradual have caused scholars to argue about when exactly the predynastic period ended. Thus, the term "protodynastic period," sometimes called "Dynasty 0," has been used by scholars to name the part of the period which might be characterized as predynastic by some and dynastic by others.

The [[Gerzeh|Gerzean culture]] is a [[material culture]] identified by [[archaeologists]]. The Gerzean is the second of three phases of the [[Naqada|Naqada Culture]], and so is called ''Naqada II''. It is preceded by the [[Amratian]] (''Naqada I'') and followed by the [[Protodynastic_Period_of_Egypt|Protodynastic]] or [[Semainian]] (''[[Predynastic_Egypt#Naqada_III_.28Protodynastic.2C_sometimes_Semainean_in_older_texts.29_Culture|Naqada III]]'').

The [[Uruk period]] (ca. 4000 to 3100 BC) existed from the [[protohistory|protohistoric]] [[Chalcolithic]] to [[Early Bronze Age]] period in the history of [[Mesopotamia]], following the [[Ubaid period]].<ref>Sumer and the Sumerians, by Harriet E. W. Crawford, p 69 </ref> Named after the Sumerian city of [[Uruk]], this period saw the emergence of urban life in Mesopotamia. It was followed by the [[Sumer|Sumerian civilization]]. <ref>Sumer and the Sumerians, by Harriet E. W. Crawford, p 75 </ref> The late Uruk period (34th to 32nd centuries) saw the gradual emergence of the [[cuneiform script]] and corresponds to the [[Early Bronze Age]].

The [[Zayandeh River Civilization]] is a hypothetical pre-historic culture that is supposed to have flourished around the [[Zayandeh River]] in [[Iran]] in the 5th millennium BC.<ref>CHN Press, ''Pre-history Life to Unearth along Zayandeh Rood'', 18 October 2005,([http://www.chnpress.com/news/?section=2&id=5852 ''LINK''])</ref> [[Sialk]] is a large ancient archeological site near [[Kashan]], [[Iran]], tucked away in the suburbs of the city of [[Kashan]], in central [[Iran]], close to [[Fin Garden]]. The culture that inhabited this area has been linked to the [[Zayandeh Rud Civilization]].<ref>[[CHN]] report: "Zayandeh Rood Civilization Linked to Marvdasht and Sialk". Accessed Jan 30, 2007. Link: [http://www.chnpress.com/news/?section=2&id=5530]</ref> The Sialk [[ziggurat]] has 3 platforms, and was built ca. [[2900 BC]]. However, the earliest archeological remains of the north mound date back to the middle of the 6th millennium BC, i.e. about 7500 years ago.

===Bronze Age===
====Early Bronze Age====

{| class="wikitable"
|rowspan=10|'''[[Bronze Age]]''' <br> ([[3300 BCE]] - [[1200 BCE]])
|rowspan=10|'''[[Bronze Age]]''' <br> ([[3300 BCE]] - [[1200 BCE]])
|rowspan=4|[[Early Bronze Age]] <br> ([[3300 BCE]] - [[2000 BCE]])
|rowspan=4|[[Early Bronze Age]] <br> ([[3300 BCE]] - [[2000 BCE]])
Line 77: Line 98:
| [[Bronze Age collapse|Late Bronze Age II B]]
| [[Bronze Age collapse|Late Bronze Age II B]]
| [[1300 BCE]] - [[1200 BCE]]
| [[1300 BCE]] - [[1200 BCE]]
|-
|rowspan=5| '''[[Iron Age]]''' <br> ([[1200 BCE]] - [[586 BCE]])
|rowspan=2| [[Bronze Age collapse|Iron Age I]] <br> ([[1200 BCE]] - [[1000 BCE]])
| [[Iron Age I A]]
| [[1200 BCE]] - [[1150 BCE]]
|-
| [[Iron Age I B]]
| [[1150 BCE]] - [[1000 BCE]]
|-
|rowspan=3| [[Iron Age II]] <br> ([[1000 BCE]] - [[586 BCE]])
| [[Iron Age II A]]
| [[1000 BCE]] - [[900 BCE]]
|-
| [[Iron Age II B]]
| [[900 BCE]] - [[700 BCE]]
|-
| [[Iron Age II C]]
| [[700 BCE]] - [[586 BCE]]
|-
|-
|}
|}


==History==
Cultures, peoples and empires of the Ancient Near East, by period.

===Chalcolithic===

*[[Predynastic Egypt]]
**[[Gerzeh]]
*[[Uruk period]]
* [[Zayandeh River Civilization]]
**[[Sialk]]

===Bronze Age===
{{Bronze Age}}
====Early Bronze Age====
*[[Kura-Araxes culture]]
*[[Kura-Araxes culture]]
*[[Proto-Elamite|Proto-Elamite civilization]]
*[[Proto-Elamite|Proto-Elamite civilization]]
Line 149: Line 138:


===Iron Age===
===Iron Age===

{| class="wikitable"
|rowspan=5| '''[[Iron Age]]''' <br> ([[1200 BCE]] - [[586 BCE]])
|rowspan=2| [[Bronze Age collapse|Iron Age I]] <br> ([[1200 BCE]] - [[1000 BCE]])
| [[Iron Age I A]]
| [[1200 BCE]] - [[1150 BCE]]
|-
| [[Iron Age I B]]
| [[1150 BCE]] - [[1000 BCE]]
|-
|rowspan=3| [[Iron Age II]] <br> ([[1000 BCE]] - [[586 BCE]])
| [[Iron Age II A]]
| [[1000 BCE]] - [[900 BCE]]
|-
| [[Iron Age II B]]
| [[900 BCE]] - [[700 BCE]]
|-
| [[Iron Age II C]]
| [[700 BCE]] - [[586 BCE]]
|-
|}

*[[Neo-Assyrian Empire]]
*[[Neo-Assyrian Empire]]
*[[Neo-Hittite kingdoms]]
*[[Neo-Hittite kingdoms]]
Line 161: Line 172:


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Timeline of Middle Eastern History]]
*[[Religions of the ancient Near East]]
*[[History of pottery in the Southern Levant]]
*[[History of pottery in the Southern Levant]]
{{Ancient Near East}}


==References==
==References==
Line 182: Line 190:
*[http://content.lib.washington.edu/neareastweb/index.html Ancient Near East Photographs] This collection, created by Professor Scott Noegel, documents artifacts and archaeological sites of the ancient Near East; from the University of Washington Libraries Digital Image Collection
*[http://content.lib.washington.edu/neareastweb/index.html Ancient Near East Photographs] This collection, created by Professor Scott Noegel, documents artifacts and archaeological sites of the ancient Near East; from the University of Washington Libraries Digital Image Collection
*[http://www.near-east-images.blogspot.com/ Near East Images] A directory of archaeological images of the ancient Near East
*[http://www.near-east-images.blogspot.com/ Near East Images] A directory of archaeological images of the ancient Near East

----
{{Ancient Near East}}


[[Category:Ancient history]]
[[Category:Ancient history]]

Revision as of 13:27, 5 May 2008

Ancient history
Preceded by prehistory
Near East
Europe
Horn of Africa
North Africa
Eurasian Steppe
Central Asia
East Asia
South Asia
Northern America
Mesoamerica
Andes
Caribbean
West Africa and Central Africa
Southeast Asia and Oceania
See also

Ancient Near East history is the study of the documented past from the beginning of recorded history until the Early Middle Ages.[1] The breadth of ancient history includes centuries of human activity in the area of the Near East.

The Ancient Near East is considered the cradle of civilization. It was the first to practice intensive year-round agriculture; it gave us the first writing system, invented the potter's wheel and then the vehicular- and mill wheel, created the first centralized governments, law codes and empires, as well as introducing social stratification, slavery and organized warfare, and it laid the foundation for the fields of astronomy and mathematics.

Regions

Overview map of the ancient Near East

It refers to early civilizations within a region roughly corresponding to the modern Middle East: Mesopotamia (modern Iraq and Syria), Persia (modern Iran), Anatolia (modern Turkey), the Levant (modern Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and Jordan), and Ancient Egypt, from the rise of Sumer in the 4th millennium BCE until the region's conquest by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BCE, or covering both the Bronze Age and the Iron Age in the region. As such, it is a term widely employed in the fields of Near Eastern archaeology, ancient history and Egyptology. Some would exclude Egypt from the ancient Near East as a geographically and culturally distinct area. However, because of Egypt's intimate involvement with the region, especially from the 2nd millennium BCE, this exclusion is rare.

Geographic regions during ancient times include:

Mesopotamia
Persia
Anatolia
Levant
Egypt

History

Main article: Timeline of Middle Eastern History

Cultures, peoples and empires of the Ancient Near East, by period.

Chalcolithic

Stone age
(2,000,000 BP - 3300 BCE) 		Paleolithic
(2,000,000 BP - 8300 BCE) 		Lower Paleolithic 2,000,000 BP - 300,000 BP
Middle Paleolithic 300,000 BP - 30,000 BP
Upper Paleolithic 30,000 BP - 12,000 BP
Epipaleolithic 12,000 BP - 8300 BCE
Neolithic
(8300 BCE - 4500 BCE) 		Pre-pottery Neolithic 8300 BCE - 5500 BCE
Pottery Neolithic 5500 BCE - 4500 BCE
Chalcolithic
(4500 BCE - 3300 BCE) 		Early Chalcolithic 4500 BCE - 4000 BCE
Late Chalcolithic (Ghassulian) 4000 BCE - 3300 BCE

The Predynastic Period of Egypt (prior to 3100 BC) is traditionally the period between the Early Neolithic and the beginning of the Pharaonic monarchy beginning with King Narmer. However, the dates of the predynastic period were first defined before widespread archaeological excavation of Egypt had taken place, and recent finds which show the course of predynastic development to have been very gradual have caused scholars to argue about when exactly the predynastic period ended. Thus, the term "protodynastic period," sometimes called "Dynasty 0," has been used by scholars to name the part of the period which might be characterized as predynastic by some and dynastic by others.

The Gerzean culture is a material culture identified by archaeologists. The Gerzean is the second of three phases of the Naqada Culture, and so is called Naqada II. It is preceded by the Amratian (Naqada I) and followed by the Protodynastic or Semainian (Naqada III).

The Uruk period (ca. 4000 to 3100 BC) existed from the protohistoric Chalcolithic to Early Bronze Age period in the history of Mesopotamia, following the Ubaid period.[2] Named after the Sumerian city of Uruk, this period saw the emergence of urban life in Mesopotamia. It was followed by the Sumerian civilization. [3] The late Uruk period (34th to 32nd centuries) saw the gradual emergence of the cuneiform script and corresponds to the Early Bronze Age.

The Zayandeh River Civilization is a hypothetical pre-historic culture that is supposed to have flourished around the Zayandeh River in Iran in the 5th millennium BC.[4] Sialk is a large ancient archeological site near Kashan, Iran, tucked away in the suburbs of the city of Kashan, in central Iran, close to Fin Garden. The culture that inhabited this area has been linked to the Zayandeh Rud Civilization.[5] The Sialk ziggurat has 3 platforms, and was built ca. 2900 BC. However, the earliest archeological remains of the north mound date back to the middle of the 6th millennium BC, i.e. about 7500 years ago.

Bronze Age

Early Bronze Age

Bronze Age
(3300 BCE - 1200 BCE) 		Early Bronze Age
(3300 BCE - 2000 BCE) 		Early Bronze Age I 3300 BCE - 3000 BCE
Early Bronze Age II 3000 BCE - 2700 BCE
Early Bronze Age III 2700 BCE - 2200 BCE
Early Bronze Age IV 2200 BCE - 2000 BCE
Middle Bronze Age
(2000 BCE - 1550 BCE) 		Middle Bronze Age I 2000 BCE - 1750 BCE
Middle Bronze Age II 1750 BCE - 1650 BCE
Middle Bronze Age III 1650 BCE - 1550 BCE
Late Bronze Age
(1550 BCE - 1200 BCE) 		Late Bronze Age I 1550 BCE - 1400 BCE
Late Bronze Age II A 1400 BCE - 1300 BCE
Late Bronze Age II B 1300 BCE - 1200 BCE

Middle Bronze Age

Map of the ancient Near East during the Amarna period, showing the great powers of the period: Egypt (green), Hatti (yellow), the Kassite kingdom of Babylon (purple), Assyria (grey), and Mittani (red). Lighter areas show direct control, darker areas represent spheres of influence. The extent of the Achaean/Mycenaean civilization is shown in orange.

Late Bronze Age

Bronze Age collapse

Iron Age

Iron Age
(1200 BCE - 586 BCE) 		Iron Age I
(1200 BCE - 1000 BCE) 		Iron Age I A 1200 BCE - 1150 BCE
Iron Age I B 1150 BCE - 1000 BCE
Iron Age II
(1000 BCE - 586 BCE) 		Iron Age II A 1000 BCE - 900 BCE
Iron Age II B 900 BCE - 700 BCE
Iron Age II C 700 BCE - 586 BCE

Religions

Main article: Religions of the Ancient Near East

Ancient civilizations in the Near East were deeply influenced by their spiritual beliefs, which generally did not distinguish between heaven and Earth.[6] They believed that divine action influenced all mundane matters, and also believed in divination (ability to predict the future).[6] Omens were often inscribed in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, as were records of major events.[6]


See also

References

  1. ^ ancient-history, historyofworld.net
  2. ^ Sumer and the Sumerians, by Harriet E. W. Crawford, p 69
  3. ^ Sumer and the Sumerians, by Harriet E. W. Crawford, p 75
  4. ^ CHN Press, Pre-history Life to Unearth along Zayandeh Rood, 18 October 2005,(LINK)
  5. ^ CHN report: "Zayandeh Rood Civilization Linked to Marvdasht and Sialk". Accessed Jan 30, 2007. Link: [1]
  6. ^ a b c Lamberg-Karlovsky, C. C. and Jeremy A. Sabloff (1979). Ancient Civilizations: The Near East and Mesoamerica. Benjamin/Cummings Publishing. pp. p. 4. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)

Further reading

  • William W. Hallo & William Kelly Simpson, The Ancient Near East: A History, Holt Rinehart and Winston Publishers, 1997
  • Jack Sasson, The Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, New York, 1995
  • Marc Van de Mieroop, History of the Ancient Near East: Ca. 3000-323 B.C., Blackwell Publishers, 2003
  • Ancient Near East.net — an information and content portal for the archaeology, ancient history, and culture of the ancient Near East and Egypt
  • Ancient Near East.org — A database of the prehistoric Near East as well as its ancient history up to approximately the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans ...
  • Archaeowiki.org—a wiki for the research and documentation of the ancient Near East and Egypt
  • ETANA — website hosted by a consortium of universities in the interests of providing digitized resources and relevant web links
  • Resources on Biblical Archaeology
  • Ancient Near East Photographs This collection, created by Professor Scott Noegel, documents artifacts and archaeological sites of the ancient Near East; from the University of Washington Libraries Digital Image Collection
  • Near East Images A directory of archaeological images of the ancient Near East
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