Catal Huyuk was a Civilization
According to archaeologist in order to be defined as a civilization certain criteria must be met. Early archaeologists believed in order to be considered a civilization a society must have cultural superiority, which meant they must have the ability to read and write. If this was the sole criteria used to judge if a society was labeled a civilization, then you could say the Inca of South America, who constructed cities on top of mountains and had a complex system of irrigation canals, were not one because they did not have a system for reading or writing. Modern archaeologists now think of civilization as not better but different. The modern definition of civilization consists of the development of cities, or urbanization, the existence of a centralized political unit, a dense population in the thousands and a degree of organizational complexity. After reading and listening to class lecture I believe that Catal Huyuk should be considered a civilization. As you read on I will discuss point by point why I feel Catal Huyuk was a civilization.
Signs of craft specialization are very apparent at Catal Huyuk. There are a variety tools and weapons made from obsidian, flint, stone and bone. A process called flint knapping, or chipping, was used to shape a stone, like flint, into a sharp tool which could be used in arrowheads. Another process that was used in making tools was called grounding. This involved using two ston...
The Kunz Axe is a votive axe that is associated with the Olmec culture. It was found in the hills of Oaxaca, Mexico by George Kunz in 1890. The axe appears to be dating around 800-500 BC, which is part of the Middle Formative period. Although this artifact is considered an axe, it does not mean that this was its function. The votive axe appears more of a sculpture and it is “more likely that it was used in ritual settings” (Milner Library, n.d.). The material that was used to made this artifact is jade. Because the artifact was made out of jade, it is believed that it was “reserved for the adornment of gods and royalty” (The Met, n.d.). The Kunz Axe has a blue green color and it is about eleven inches high. It appears to depict a human with
...ts were labelled with the upper case letters which represented the material types and a numeric letter. The artifacts were placed in different boxes. The artifact analysis was then conducted and the characteristics such as tool type and material type of each artifact were recorded on the artifact catalog forms. The material samples of lithic tools, faunal remains, and ceramics remains were compare with existing artifacts to identify their material type. The Vernier scale was used for the measurements of each lithic tools.
Around 3500 B.C.E to 3000 B.C.E., civilizations emerged in many places. Egypt and Mesoamerica are distinctive two of them. Considering the different aspects of civilization, historians can find some same characteristics and differences which are valuable for historians to understand civilization in-depth.
Early civilization remains permits us to observe how life was lived in earlier times. Until the Neolithic Era humans were fairly nomadic. When they became knowledgeable of farming they began to realize that they would not have to be nomadic anymore thus forming civilizations. These early civilizations were typically polytheistic, which means that they believed in many gods. During these civilizations they also learned to tame animals and their technologies grew more and more advanced. Almost all early civilizations have failed but they all left a lasting mark that will continue forever. The Nile River Valley Civilization and the Mesopotamia Civilization are both amazing but they both have their differences in their political and social aspects.
Ancient Egypt was a complex civilization because it had all of the important civilization indicators, Every complex society has a government the Government In Ancient Egypt the king was known as the pharaoh. The pharaoh was the most powerful person in Egypt what the pharaoh did was he made the laws, Collected taxes, and he was the political leader. The pharaoh was called the Lord of Two lands because he was the ruler of Upper and Lowers Egypt since he was the king he owned all the land in Egypt. The government was a well respected and organized government. Ancient Egypt could not achieve much without all the levels cooperating together.
When analyzing ancient civilization and how it began, there are many elements and aspects that should be considered. Questions such as how did civilization begin? What lead to its creation? Where did it begin, and why in that particular location? Many of these questions can be examined and answered by researching what many believe is the world’s earliest civilization, Mesopotamia. It is widely believed that this region was chosen and supported one of the world’s first civilizations. This area was settled over 10,000 years ago by a group of people known as the Sumerians (Cunningham & Reich, 2010).
During the nineteenth century there was a vast amount of blood and trade between southerners and the Yir Yoront. At the heart of all the blood and trade rose the steel axe. This single piece of equipment played a vital role in the society of the Yir Yoront. This item became more and more used by the Yir Yoront for wide array of reasons.
Although, archaeologists have heavily debated the definition of civilization, there are still some key elements that are general agreed upon. I will define civilizations, and reflect and compare on two such Old World civilizations.
"Upper Paleolithic Tool Technologies." Upper Paleolithic Tool Technologies. The Regents of The University of California, 22 July 2013. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. .
Civilizations before our own was quite advanced even before technology. People thrived and used their minds to create and invent things that we use now, such as the Incas and Aztecs. The Aztecs and Incas both made a huge impact on the world we live in today. However, the overall most successful civilization were the Incas. The Incas had a much more effective government which kept peace among all of its territories, they respected the life of the fellow human beings, and even developed 2 calendars, one for night and one for day.
All the way from the start of civilization through to the Early Christianity there has been a pantheon of; destruction, recognition, wars, cultural diffusion, religious breakthroughs, laws that have been established, kings and queens crowned and dethroned. The Mesopotamian Civilization it was the land between two rivers the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers that civilization first began.
The Mayan best-known as the classical civilizations of Mesoamerica which Originate in the Yucatán around 2600 B.C.. They rose to be well known around A.D. 250. The Mayan is well known in developing astronomy, calendrical systems and hieroglyphic writing. Besides that, they were also known for their elaborate and highly decorated ceremonial architecture, including the temple-pyramids, palaces and observatories, all were built without using metal tools. They were also skilled farmers, weavers and potters. Around 300 B.C., the Mayan practiced a ggovernment system with rule by nobles and kings. This civilization soon developed into highly structured kingdoms during the Classic period around A.D. 200-900. Their society consisted of many independent states, each with a rural farming community and large urban sites built around ceremonial centres. They started to decline around A.D. 900 when - for reasons which are still largely a mystery - the southern Maya abandoned their cities. When the northern Mayan were integrated into the Toltec society by A.D. 1200, the Mayan dynasty finally came to a close, although some peripheral centres continued to thrive until the Spanish Conquest in the early sixteenth century. There are several theories on the collapse of the Mayan civilazation that are wars and fatal rivalries and drastic climate change.
A civilization is the starting point of a society. Civilizations have existed for millions of years and are the basic unit of structure for a society. Civilizations were the base of great societies such as Egypt and Rome. If not for civilizations these societies would not have flourished or even existed.
The Mayan Civilization was a very well developed civilization. Their way of life and how they survived is remarkable. The Mayans created several things that we use today. This civilization started small and expanded to a culture that still exists. The Mayans had strong beliefs in their gods.
For thousands of years, people all over the world have developed, progressed, and eventually formed civilizations. A civilization is a community characterized by elements such as a system of writing, a development of social classes, and cities. Early civilizations such as ancient Greece, classical Rome, Mesopotamia, and classical China have made many contributions to society that still affect people in the modern world. The inventions, progress, and contributions of the people of these ancient civilizations and others have shaped the world that we all live in today.