Impact of Permanent Settlement on City Design in Mesopotamia
Mary Heapy
Melanie Duffey
CADS 2300
Due: 9/4/2013
Impact of Permanent Settlement on City Design in Mesopotamia
Introduction
The desire to have a place to call home is deeply rooted in the ancient history of our world. While hunting and gathering proved to be sufficient up until this point, life in settlements and cities was, and remains to be paramount. Even prior to other worldly connections, the region of Mesopotamia developed into several successful villages and cities. While tensions ran high throughout the region, the same concepts and ideologies were used to aid each territory to be successful, even if only for a while. The use of irrigation and agriculture would prove to be the key to city life and the development of true populations. These populations were then able to develop their own forms of religion, art, writing, and design. Many of these designs and concepts have had a lasting impact on cities all around the world.
The Transition from Nomadic Lifestyle
Before the establishment of permanent settlements, the people of the Arabian Peninsula lived very nomadic lifestyles. They relied heavily on hunting and gathering for food acquisition and designed their dwellings to be easy to put up and take down as their travel called for. They also travelled in fairly small groups in order to keep their provisions to a minimum and minimize their environmental risks. It wasn’t until the around 9000 BCE that the people of this region slowly began to transition into a more sedentary lifestyle (Heise, Sect. 2, np).
The development of agriculture gave people a reason to stay in one place and still provide food for their families. A major cause of this Neolithic Revolution was the warming of the weather in the Middle East to a point of which farming was an attainable goal. Prior to this time, climate in this region had been too arid and inhospitable to a lifestyle of farming. This change in lifestyle type also changed the locations in which
Melanie Duffey
CADS 2300
Due: 9/4/2013
Impact of Permanent Settlement on City Design in Mesopotamia
Introduction
The desire to have a place to call home is deeply rooted in the ancient history of our world. While hunting and gathering proved to be sufficient up until this point, life in settlements and cities was, and remains to be paramount. Even prior to other worldly connections, the region of Mesopotamia developed into several successful villages and cities. While tensions ran high throughout the region, the same concepts and ideologies were used to aid each territory to be successful, even if only for a while. The use of irrigation and agriculture would prove to be the key to city life and the development of true populations. These populations were then able to develop their own forms of religion, art, writing, and design. Many of these designs and concepts have had a lasting impact on cities all around the world.
The Transition from Nomadic Lifestyle
Before the establishment of permanent settlements, the people of the Arabian Peninsula lived very nomadic lifestyles. They relied heavily on hunting and gathering for food acquisition and designed their dwellings to be easy to put up and take down as their travel called for. They also travelled in fairly small groups in order to keep their provisions to a minimum and minimize their environmental risks. It wasn’t until the around 9000 BCE that the people of this region slowly began to transition into a more sedentary lifestyle (Heise, Sect. 2, np).
The development of agriculture gave people a reason to stay in one place and still provide food for their families. A major cause of this Neolithic Revolution was the warming of the weather in the Middle East to a point of which farming was an attainable goal. Prior to this time, climate in this region had been too arid and inhospitable to a lifestyle of farming. This change in lifestyle type also changed the locations in which
References: (APA) Dunstan, P. (n.d.). Section 1. Mesopotamia. The Dark Powers That Bind. Retrieved September 1, 2014, from http://www.destiner.com/destiner_titles_dark_sect01_me.html Foster, B. R., & Foster, K. P. (2009). Civilizations of Ancient Iraq. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Frankfort, H. (1970). The Art and Architecture of the Ancient Orient ([4th rev. impression]. ed.). Harmondsworth, Eng.: Penguin Books. Heise, J. (n.d.). Prehistory in Mesopotamia. Mesopotamian Prehistory (Neolithic, Chalcolithic). Retrieved September 1, 2014, from http://www.sron.nl/~jheise/akkadian/prehistory.html Leick, G. (2002). Mesopotamia: The Invention of the City. London: Penguin. Pile, J. F. (2000). A history of Interior Design. New York: Wiley. The Land Between the Rivers. (n.d.). Architectural Marvels of Ancient Mesopotamia. Retrieved September 1, 2014, from http://www.faculty.fairfield.edu/jmac/meso/meso.htm