Economy
Things that the Sumerians may have used for trade.
Information for the article was found in "Sumer and the Sumerians." The Ancient Near East: An Encyclopedia for Students. Ed. Ronald Wallenfels and Jack M. Sasson. Vol. 4. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2000. 100-105. World History in Context. Web. 20 Nov. 2013.
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A temple not only functioned for religious life, but for economic life also. Temples controlled a vast amount of land a ran a lot of workshops and warehouses within its walls.
In addition to priests, temples employed a large amount of farmers, shepherds and artists. Workers in temple workshops made pottery, wove fabric, and created art. Some of these goods were sacrificed to the gods, while most were distributed to households. Many of the finer materials produced were used to trade. Most city-states actively engaged in long-distance trade, establishing colonies as far away as Syria and Iran. They traded for goods such as precious stones/gems that were not available locally. Through the temples, the city-states provided it's citizens with the basic necessities of life. In return, the people were required to work every day and to honor the local gods with sacrifices and obedience to the city’s ruler. However, the temple did not control the entire economy. There is evidence that some land surrounding each city-state was owned and worked by private individuals. The cities themselves were also centers of private economic production. Pottery making and other forms of art flourished in the cities. |