Artifacts of the Ancient Mesopotamia
Artifacts are priceless objects, so if you find a vase from Ancient Mesopotamia don't drop it. Some artifacts even show who, how, and what the Mesopotamians worshipped. One of the most famous artifacts of Mesopotamia is the Striding Lion because it was a symbol of power. Some of the most useful artifacts were stamps and seals because they helped people know who made what. Probably the best inventions of Mesopotamia is the wheel because it helped a lot in transportation. Artifacts are very useful items that help us collect more information about our ancestors .
What is an artifact? An artifact is a man made object. This means that it was not natural. It was also usually used for something and had a cultural significance. For instance some of the inventions were stamps that were used for trademarking things that were made. The word artifact was made from two Latin words arte meaning “by skill” and factum meaning “to make”.
The Mesopotamians believed that there were multiple gods (polytheistic). They also believed that if they didn't worship and make offerings to the gods and goddesses there would be no peace. Therefore they built ziggurats for the main god of the city. The Mesopotamians believe that if they made sacrifices to the gods and goddesses, they would prosper. Not all the demons were bad, they were more like minor gods with small jobs. A cup supported by a hero and animals shows some of their religion because it was used for putting offerings into. It was made from stone and shows that the Mesopotamians had good craftsmanship. If the gods helped a group of people gain power they needed a symbol of power that's where the Striding Lion comes in.
The Striding Lion doesn’t have anything to do with religion. But it was important because it was a symbol of power. It was made from mud brick and lined the Processional. The Processional was a main road in the city of Babel. It was mainly used in that time at the new year festival. The Striding Lion was important but there are many other items that were used during daily life that were also useful.
Examples of other artifacts are stamps, seals, and amulets. They were made of stone or clay and sometimes semiprecious stone. Amulets were worn by many people on a strip of leather. Stamps and seals were used to brand items. If you were a potter and you made good quality items the people would know who to get their pottery from. The stamps were made into shapes like animals. These artifacts help us learn about people and their inventions.
The wheel was originally invented for potters so they could make their pottery better and faster. Later on they also made the wheel for transportation. It was a great invention because the Mesopotamians wouldn't have to carry thing around anymore. It was made from stone which wasn't exactly the the lightest thing, but it sufficed. It was made of stone because they didn’t have the tools to make it from anything else.
Artifacts can be so many different things from skeletons to buildings buried under volcanic ash. Artifacts such as vases can tell people so much and even help us learn who our ancestors are. Religious artifacts can also tell us how the Mesopotamians worshipped their gods. The Striding Lion was very important to the Babylonians because it was a symbol of power. Some other very useful artifacts are stamps and seals, even though they are just used in daily life. One of the most amazing inventions of Mesopotamia was the wheel and we still use it today. Now go try to find an artifact of your own, there all over the world not just in Mesopotamia so start looking.