Mesopotamia Vs. Olmec
Culture and Environment
Mesopotamia- Mesopotamia grew up in river valleys
- Was dependent on the rivers for agriculture
- Had an open environment which made it easier for travel but vulnerable towards invasion
- Due to the rough environment and foreigners and ecological deterioration they shifted the Mesopotamia civilization north
- Along the gulf of Mexico
- Based on agriculture economy
- Had decorated temples, altars, pyramids and tombs of rulers
- Believed to have created the first written language in America
- they sometimes regard America as "mother civilization"
Cities and States
Mesopotamia
- Civilization in the southern Tigres Euphrates region known as sumer
- was organized in dozen or separated independent city states
- urbanized society
- due to conflict with the environment it eventually left Sumerian cities open to outside forces so stronger people from northern meso took over the sumerian cities
- due to climate conflict it took the Sumerian phase of meso to an end
Olmec
- Had cities that come from a series of competing chiefdoms which then became ceremonial centers
- Sometimes regarded America as "mother civilization"
- was influenced subsequent civilizations like the maya
- clearly distinctive and independent of its northern neighbors
Mesopotamia
- interacted near and more distant neighbors
- long distance trade
- Artistic styles
- culture patterns
- urban planning
- game played with rubber balls
- ritual sacrifice
- bloodletting by rulers
