Our present base 60 system of counting sixty seconds in a minute, sixty minutes in an hour, and three hundred and sixty degrees in a circle is a survival of babylonian. Ancient sumer this teachers pack has been created to encourage and enable teachers of children at key stage 2 to choose ancient sumer for their world history study. The quiz worksheet lets you see how much you know about these key points. Worksheets are, mesopotamia cuneiform activity, ancient sumer, babylonian maths, babylonian mathematics, babylonian maths, the sumerians, mmeessooppoottaammiiaa. Students should think critically about the similarities and differences between ancient and current writing systems. Informational text about the topic, filled with concise facts about the topic. Use your highlighted, underlined, and annotated classroom copy of the mesopotamia cuneiform lesson to get more practice with that important skill and to answer the following additional questions. Jan 04, 2016 cuneiform digital library initiative cdli on the web. The present study of old akkadian writing and grammar is based on sources fully listed and discussed in the glossary of old akkadian published in 1957 as mad iii. Ancient sumer was the first recorded civilisation in world history.
Ancient world writing systems syracuse university libraries. Oct 06, 2012 the last cuneiform writing that has been found has been dated to 75 ad and then this type of writing fell out of favor as other forms of writing became more popular. Cuneiform digital library initiative cdli on the web. The sources are quoted in the measure of their relevance. For instance, the early pictograph for a duck might be a small image. First graders examine cuneiform writing from a stone tablet, then write a simple sentence using pictographs. Mesopotamia cuneiform activity historys historiesyou. Click on popout icon or print icon to worksheet to print or download. Early societies developed governments, agriculture, writing, and new. Before writing came numbers sumerian counting tokens, contained in a clay envelope probably used to count items such as livestock, crops, or quantities of land. Here you will find all we have for cuneiform worksheet.
Use your highlighted, underlined, and annotated classroom copy of the mesopotamia cuneiform lesson to get more practice with that. It flourished in what is now southern iraq from 3800 to 2000 bce. Cuniform ancient writing displaying top 8 worksheets found for this concept some of the worksheets for this concept are mesopotamia cuneiform activity, the sumerians, mmeessooppoottaammiiaa, lesson 2 early mesopotamia, interdisciplinary unit plan for ancient egypt, unit one reading passages ancient mesopotamia 1b ancient, ancient sumer, babylonian mathematics. With it, people in the land between the rivers jotted down their thoughts. This cuneiform numbers worksheet 1 worksheet is suitable for 9th 10th grade. They use the cuneiform alphabet to decode the message. The ancient sumerians developed a written language called cuneiform.
The last cuneiform writing that has been found has been dated to 75 ad and then this type. Mesopotamia cuneiform activity historys historiesyou are. Cuneiform writing the sumerians were accomplished traders and businessmen. Sumerian cuneiform english dictionary 120ct mugsar 26i14 pdf. The book first explains that the very earliest writing was pictogram shapes and then slowly evolved into more straight lines as it was easier to do on clay or stone. They developed the first known written language, called cuneiform, to keep business records and accounts.
Sumerian cuneiform english dictionary 120ct 26i14 pdf. It is distinguished by its wedgeshaped marks on clay tablets, made by means of a blunt reed for a stylus. It emerged in sumer and is also known as the sumerian cuneiform. Cuneiform, or sumeroakkadian cuneiform, was one of the earliest systems of writing, invented by sumerians in ancient mesopotamia. Through their writing, we know that they divided the sky into twelve parts. It began as a system of simple pictographs images that represented a single word. You can use this site to write your monogram or initials in cuneiform. Chapter 3 section 1 the civilization of sumer cuneiform web quest and activity as you have learned from your textbook, the ancient sumerians developed an intricate writing system known as cuneiform over several thousand years ago. During this time, students will focus their attention on the core concepts of. The cuneiform writing system in ancient mesopotamia. The earliest forms of written communication date back to 25,00030,000 bc when humans used symbols and images to represent ideas and events in cave paintings and pictographs.
Mesopotamian clay tablet lesson plan and handout pdf with. Displaying all worksheets related to cuneiform activity. The term cuneiform comes from cuneus, latin for wedge. Cuneiform numbers worksheet 1 worksheet for 9th 10th grade. The message says, the sumerians invented cuneiform.
Use the alphabet chart to translate a message from english to cuneiform. The cuneiform writing system 30 person sixth grade class 2 common core standard that is addressed. We know a great deal about the ancient sumerian civilization from the. Note that the writing wraps around the tablets edges, making it dif. The standard academic online dictionary is the electronic pennsylvania sumerian dictionary epsd. The final assessment can be drawn on paper or pressed into clay. In this cuneiform numbers worksheet, learners practice writing numbers in cuneiform. Thus, under writing, only the typical examples matum, manama.
Writing, the recording of a spoken language, emerged from earlier recording systems at the end of the fourth millennium. This quiz and worksheet combo will help you assess your knowledge of the history of cuneiform writing. In this unit, students will begin an exploration into the earliest human civilization. Cuneiform tablets 1 a a photograph of a small ur iii dynasty cuneiform tablet from 2100 bc. Our present base 60 system of counting sixty seconds in a minute, sixty minutes in an hour, and three hundred and sixty degrees in a circle is a survival of babylonian mathematics. A type of writing that came before cuneiform the number of characters in cuneiform writing. The first cuneiform writings were pictographssymbols that represented an entire word. It wasnt until sir henry rawlinson found a gigantic inscription in 1840 on a cliff near the town of bisitum in iraq that cuneiform writing began to be deciphered. In this cuneiform numbers worksheet, students practice writing numbers in cuneiform. If your classroom copy of the lesson already has the answers underlined or highlighted, you are off to a great start building. This onepage worksheet contains approximately 40 problems. The second chapter deals with the history of sumer from the prehistoric days of.
Sumerian scribes invented the practice of writing in cuneiform on clay tablets sometime around 3400 b. Then find 3 different people who can translate it without the chart. The earliest writing systems evolved independently and at roughly the same time in egypt and mesopotamia, but current scholarship suggests. Worksheets are mesopotamia cuneiform activity, lesson 2 early mesopotamia, babylonian maths, mesopotamia, write like a sumerian cuneiform work, mmeessooppoottaammiiaa, egypt lesson plan 1 hieroglyphs and communication. Cuneiform, system of writing used in the ancient middle east. Urls for cuneiform images on page 2 of treasure hunt.
If your classroom copy of the lesson already has the answers underlined or highlighted, you are off to a great start building strong reading and. Mesopotamia this unit will last approximately 3 weeks. Worksheets are, mesopotamia cuneiform activity, the sumerians, lesson 2 early mesopotamia, early forms of writing cuneiform, babylonian maths, 1 i n w e g r o w g r a i n t h c a k e t o, mmeessooppoottaammiiaa. For a period of about 3000 years, cuneiform was the dominant writing system of the ancient near east, with a rich literary tradition in several languages, and an extensive amount of texts. Learn about cuneiform writing and what sumerian cuneiform is. Mesopotamia cuneiform activity reading comprehension one of the skills you are working on this year is active reading. The worlds first written language and over 5,000 years old. Use the cuneiform alphabet to write your first name in cuneiform writing with pictographs use the chart below to write a message in ancient pictographs about mesopotamia. Youll answer study questions on topics like what cuneiform is and the location of mesopotamia in todays world. Write your name in cuneiform just like a mesapotamian. Eventually, the sumerians added abstract symbols or signs to represent specific letters, numbers, and parts of a word.
The name, a coinage from latin and middle french roots meaning wedgeshaped, has been the modern designation from the early 18th century onward. Evolution of writing pictographs to cuneiform directions. As a result many babylonian astronomical calcu lations were used by the ancient greek and medieval arab astronomers long after knowledge of cuneiform writing was lost. This printable is a worksheet for students to become familiar with the general look of cuneiform writing. Write your name in cuneiform in todays literacy, we will be looking at cuneiform, an ancient form of writing from mesapotamia now iraq. Cuneiform the first known system of writing is sumerian cuneiform, which dates back to c. The language that they spoke, sumerian, is known to us through a large body of texts and. Find cuneiform writing lesson plans and teaching resources.
Topics youll need to know about to pass the test include the. This system of communication was later adopted and used as part of the babylonian dialect. Ancient world writing systems introduction for millenia, human beings have communicated through writing. Os old sumerian period 25002350 bc oakk old akkadian sargonic period 23502150 bc. Cuneiform was the most widespread and historically significant writing system in. This threepage pdf file focuses on the contribution of cuneiform, the earliest form of writing, by the sumerian civilization. Displaying all worksheets related to cuneiform writing. Cuneiform script is one of the oldest known writing forms. Cuneiform writing means wedge shaped and is believed to be first written around 3000bc. Today, we call this written language of wedgeshaped symbols cuneiform. Old akkadian writing and grammar oriental institute. Cuneiform is noted as the first writing system ever recorded.
The language that they spoke, sumerian, is known to us. Cuneiform was the most widespread and historically significant writing system in the ancient middle east. Sumerian cuneiform writing miniproject directions and alphabet. The script emerged from 30th century bc and was used simply to write the sumerian language. Mesopotamia cuneiform activity reading comprehension. As their business dealings became more complex, they needed a way to keep track of their goods and payments. How to write in cuneiform, the oldest writing system in the world. They looked at the sky and carefully recorded what they saw. The sumerian cuneiform writing miniproject is designed as an extension activity to reinforce lessons taught in class. The penn museum is temporarily closed to the public due to covid19. Name five recording purposes for which cuneiform writing was eventually used. Mesopotamia cuneiform decoding esl worksheet by jennifer. Statues sumerian writing nippur tablet gilgamesh sumerian religion anunaki ningishzida world three the third eye enki sumerian fertility godess sumerian godess noah statues.
9 659 1026 607 354 44 439 149 1030 1143 1185 342 682 413 297 1220 1439 129 1347 1046 661 146 156 211 1029 943 721 775 1436 1378 1521 462 43 1194 840 1120 1146 22 407 1209 709 826 1170