Clay

“Writing and Record Keeping in Mesopotamia” Please respond to the following, using sources under the Explore heading as the basis of your response:

  • Describe the “envelope”, seal, and the early Mesopotamian writing process, and discuss expectations of record-keeping.  Identify the issue being kept “on file,” and comment on what this reveals about Mesopotamian society in 1500 BC and the primary ways it compares to modern society in these respects.

Explore

Mesopotamia

  • Chapter 2 (pp. 34, 38-42), early Mesopotamian writing; seal
  • University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute: Tablet and envelope at http://oi.uchicago.edu/museum/highlights/meso.html; scroll down to the item called “Clay Tablet and Envelope”. Click on the color and black and white images and read the captions and information.