Looking for Jesus according to Matthew

[JLG]

The Bronze age (8)

Near East​

West Asia and the Near East were the first regions to enter the Bronze Age, beginning with the rise of the Mesopotamian civilization of Sumer in the mid-4th millennium BC. Cultures in the ancient Near East practised intensive year-round agriculture; developed writing systems; invented the potter's wheel, created centralised governments (usually in the form of hereditary monarchies), formulated written law codes, developed city-states, nation-states and empires; embarked on advanced architectural projects; and introduced social stratification, economic and civil administration, slavery, and practised organised warfare, medicine, and religion. Societies in the region laid the foundations for astronomy, mathematics, and astrology.

 

[JLG]

The Bronze age (9)

Near East Bronze Age divisions​

The Bronze Age in the Near East can be divided into Early, Middle and Late periods. The dates and phases below apply solely to the Near East, not universally. However, some archaeologists propose a "high chronology", which extends periods such as the Intermediate Bronze Age by 300 to 500–600 years, based on material analysis of the southern Levant in cities such as Hazor, Jericho, and Beit She'an.

• Early Bronze Age (EBA or EB): 3300–2100 BC
  • 3300–3000: EBA I
  • 3000–2700: EBA II
  • 2700–2200: EBA III
  • 2200–2100: EBA IV
• Middle Bronze Age (MBA or MB) or Intermediate Bronze Age (IBA or IB): 2100–1550 BC
  • 2100–2000: MBA I
  • 2000–1750: MBA II A
  • 1750–1650: MBA II B
  • 1650–1550: MBA II C
• Late Bronze Age (LBA or LB): 1550–1200 BC
  • 1550–1400: LBA I
  • 1400–1300: LBA II A
  • 1300–1200: LBA II B (Late Bronze Age collapse)

 

[JLG]

The Bronze age (10)

Mesopotamia​

The Mesopotamian Bronze Age began c. 3500 BC and ended with the Kassite period c. 1500 – c. 1155 BC). The usual tripartite division into an Early, Middle and Late Bronze Age is not used in the context of Mesopotamia. Instead, a division primarily based on art and historical characteristics is more common.

The cities of the Ancient Near East housed several tens of thousands of people. Ur, Kish, Isin, Larsa, and Nippur in the Middle Bronze Age and Babylon, Calah, and Assur in the Late Bronze Age similarly had large populations. The Akkadian Empire (2335–2154 BC) became the dominant power in the region. After its fall, the Sumerians enjoyed a renaissance with the Neo-Sumerian Empire. Assyria, along with the Old Assyrian Empire (c. 1800–1600 BC), became a regional power under the Amorite king Shamshi-Adad I. The earliest mention of Babylon (then a small administrative town) appears on a tablet from the reign of Sargon of Akkad in the 23rd century BC. The Amorite dynasty established the city-state of Babylon in the 19th century BC. Over a century later, it briefly took over the other city-states and formed the short-lived First Babylonian Empire during what is also called the Old Babylonian Period.

Akkad, Assyria, and Babylonia used the written East Semitic Akkadian language for official use and as a spoken language. By that time, the Sumerian language was no longer spoken, but was still in religious use in Assyria and Babylonia, and would remain so until the 1st century AD. The Akkadian and Sumerian traditions played a major role in later Assyrian and Babylonian culture. Despite this, Babylonia, unlike the more militarily powerful Assyria, was founded by non-native Amorites and often ruled by other non-indigenous peoples such as the Kassites, Aramaeans and Chaldeans, as well as by its Assyrian neighbours.

 

[JLG]

The Bronze Age (11)

Mesopotamia began producing bronze around 3500 BC, when the Sumerians of the Tigris and Euphrates valley accidentally created it by mixing copper and tin ores. The resulting alloy proved stronger and more durable than copper, making it ideal for making improved tools, weapons, and household items. This innovation led to the development of the Bronze Age in the region, a period marked by significant technological advances, the growth of urban societies, and improved agriculture, which fostered civilization.

How it happened:

Chance discovery:

One theory suggests that copper- and tin-rich rocks, used for building campfire rings, melted and mixed together in the heat of fire, creating the first bronze. Impact of Bronze in Mesopotamia:

Agriculture:

Sturdier bronze tools enabled more efficient farming, leading to increased food production and supporting the growth of sedentary farming communities.

Experimental Smelting:

Early metallurgists, probably while experimenting with different clays and ores, discovered that adding tin to copper produced a harder and more useful alloy.

Technological Advances:

The discovery and subsequent development of bronze advanced metalworking, enabling the creation of new tools and weapons that revolutionized labor and warfare.

Crafts and Warfare:

Bronze's harder and more durable properties made it superior for weaponry, leading to increased warfare, and for making tools used in the manufacture of household items, pottery, and other goods.

Urbanization and Trade:

The ability to produce more food and goods led to increased trade and the development of larger, more complex urban societies between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

The Bronze Age:

The invention of bronze marked the beginning of the Bronze Age (c. 3300–1100 BC), a pivotal period characterized by the rise of early civilizations and new innovations in architecture, writing, and social structures.

 

[JLG]

The Bronze age (12)
- Yes,it brought more violence on earth as the Bible says!

- As a consequence, Yah.weh decided to destroy mankind except Noah and his family!

- Now it is difficult to situate the flood in the process!

- I will have to investigate it!

- First, some angels went down on the earth!

- Second, they took control of the earth!

- They transmitted technology to human beings!

- This has allowed humans to make an unimaginable leap forward!

- A leap that even today they are incapable of conceiving!

- Which logically should allow us to perceive how limited humans are!

- I say it should allow us to perceive, but which, in fact, prevents us from perceiving it!

- A vicious circle that prevents humans from surpassing these limits!

- So, they are blind and will remain blind!

 

[JLG]

• The Sumerian city of Eridu

• The Sumerian city of Uruk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gej5L3neyeU&list=PLRjp6Xq2G-nTJoigiz8BvOYZ5kZV1zzCm&index=1

• The Sumerian city of Ur

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIP8OVm2KiY&list=PLRjp6Xq2G-nTJoigiz8BvOYZ5kZV1zzCm&index=3

 

[JLG]

- I am going to study the populations of the first cities of Mesopotamia and Egypt to see who came first!

- The figures will clearly show that Mesopotamia developed before Egypt!

- Between 4000 BC to 3001 BC for Mesopotamia (especially Eridu and Uruk)!

- Around 3000 for Egypt or a bit before!

 

[JLG]

The 4th millennium BC, or the period from 4000 BC to 3001 BC, was a pivotal era for human civilization, marked by the beginning of the Bronze Age, the invention of writing in Mesopotamia, and the rise of prominent Sumerian city-states and the Egyptian kingdom. Significant innovations such as the wheel, potter's wheel, and early forms of the sailboat emerged, while the world population roughly doubled to 14 million.
Key Developments

• Early Writing Systems:
  The 4th millennium BC saw the invention of writing, which is crucial for the beginning of recorded history.

Major Events and Regions

• Mesopotamia:
  Sumerian civilization took shape, developing sophisticated systems of mathematics, astronomy, and complex hydrological systems.

Impact

• Population Growth:
  The world population roughly doubled during this millennium, from approximately 7 to 14 million people.
  

Rise of Urban Centers:
Sumerian city-states and the Egyptian kingdom grew in prominence, marking a shift towards more complex social structures.
Technological Advancements:
Key inventions included the wheel, potter's wheel, and the early sailboat.
Agricultural Expansion:
Agriculture spread widely across Eurasia, supporting the growing population.
Social and Economic Changes:
Craft specialization emerged to meet the needs of a growing population and increasing social stratification.
Egypt:
The unification of the kingdom of Egypt began, and Hierakonpolis and Abydos became centers of intensified social differentiation.
Sahara Desert:
A severe aridification event, the Neolithic Subpluvial's end around 3900 BC, likely triggered migrations from central North Africa to the Nile valley.
Foundation of Civilization:
This era laid the groundwork for subsequent civilizations by fostering complex societies, monumental architecture, and organized states.

 

[JLG]

- Chronology of the Sumerian city of Eridu: (1)

Eridu was founded around 5400 BCE, becoming one of the oldest cities in Sumerian civilization and a major religious center dedicated to the god Enki. The city evolved from a small settlement to a flourishing urban center through the Ubaid Period (c. 5000–4100 BCE), reaching its peak in the Early Dynastic Period and remaining an important pilgrimage site until its final abandonment around 600 BCE, likely due to environmental factors.
Founding and Early Growth (c. 5400–4000 BCE)

• c. 5400 BCE:
  Eridu was founded on a virgin sand dune, with the earliest settlements preceding the fully developed Ubaid period.

Rise to Prominence (c. 2900–2100 BCE)

• c. 2900 BCE:
  Eridu was an influential city-state and home to the largest temple dedicated to the god of wisdom, Enki.

Peak and Religious Significance (c. 2100–1800 BCE)

• Ur III Period (2047–1750 BCE):
  Eridu reached its height during this period, with the construction of a major ziggurat dedicated to Enki.

Decline and Abandonment (c. 1800–600 BCE)

• Environmental Factors: The city faced environmental changes, including desertification due to receding coastlines and the encroaching Persian Gulf.
  

Ubaid Period (c. 5000–4100 BCE):
Construction of the first temple to Enki, a key deity, marked Eridu as a significant religious center. The city grew into a proto-urban settlement, evidenced by its successive temple layers.
Early Dynastic Period:
The city developed further, with excavations revealing royal palaces and significant temple complexes.
Pilgrimage Center:
The city's importance was religious rather than political, as it remained a major pilgrimage destination for people from across Mesopotamia.

Decline: As the city lost its importance, it continued to be inhabited but as a shadow of its former glory, losing its spiritual and economic significance.

c. 600 BCE: Eridu was finally abandoned.

 

[JLG]

- Evolution of the population of the Sumerian city of Eridu2)

Eridu, considered the oldest Sumerian city, was founded around 5400 BCE and grew from a small settlement into a significant urban center, reaching its zenith in the 4th millennium BC before its decline and final abandonment around 600 BCE. The city initially supported a population through fishing and later through agriculture, but its growth was likely marked by intermittent periods of decline and renewal, possibly due to environmental factors like land overuse and salinization, and shifts in political dynamics, before its eventual desertion.
Early Development (c. 5400 - 4th Millennium BC)

• Initial Settlement:
  Eridu began as a small settlement, with its earliest structures dating to the 6th millennium BCE.

Peak and Flourishing (4th Millennium BC)

• Urbanization:
  Eridu reached its highest population and development during the 4th millennium BC, becoming a significant cultural and economic hub.

Decline and Abandonment (Late 4th Millennium BCE - 600 BCE)

• Fluctuations and Decline:
  The city experienced phases of decline and abandonment, with reasons speculated to include environmental issues.
  

Founding Cultures:
The city's population was a blend of diverse cultures, including peasant farmers (Ubaid culture), nomadic pastoralists, and marsh-dwelling fisher folk, all united by the region's crucial water resources.
Economic Base:
Initially, the economy was based on fishing, with evidence of sophisticated irrigation systems, reed boats, and fishing nets.
Religious Significance:
The city was a major religious center, home to the E-abzu temple dedicated to Enki, the god of water and wisdom.
Population Growth:
As a popular religious and trade center, Eridu attracted a diverse population of merchants, artisans, and pilgrims, supporting a robust agricultural economy.
Infrastructure:
Sophisticated irrigation systems were developed to support the growing population and agricultural activities.
Environmental Factors:
A primary theory suggests that continuous irrigation led to increased salinity in the groundwater and soil, making agriculture unsustainable.
Final Abandonment:
Eridu was eventually abandoned around 600 BCE, likely due to the cumulative effects of land degradation and environmental changes that rendered the area unsustainable for large populations.

 

[JLG]

Eridu (3)

Early Development (c. 5400 - 4th Millennium BC)

• Initial Settlement:
  Eridu began as a small settlement, with its earliest structures dating to the 6th millennium BCE.

Peak and Flourishing (4th Millennium BC)

• Urbanization:
  Eridu reached its highest population and development during the 4th millennium BC (from 4000 BC to 3001 BC), becoming a significant cultural and economic hub.