LAST week we started talking about parallels between the Mesopotamian and the Pharaonic civi1isations. We explained how the Sumerian civilisation, which occupied the southern part of Iraq during the first half of the third millennium BC, lost its power to the new civilisation rising in the city of Akkad to the north of Sumeria, which was inhibited by people known as the Akkadians.
Under the leadership of Sargon I (ruler of the four quarters of the world), the Akkadians conquered Sumerian cities and extended their power to parts of Syria and Asia Minor. They gained military power by inventing new techniques, such as using spears as projectiles, as well as bows and arrows.
The second important ruler of this period was the grandson of Sargon, Naramsin. The Akkadian period left behind several texts in Akkadian language, which is of Semitic origin, using again the cuneiforms scripts. The Akkadian civilisation was soon overthrown by Gutian tribes that invaded the area from Iran, and then the Gutians were soon conquered by a Sumerian ruler who formed the third Sumerian dynasty of Ur.
During the third dynasty of Ur, trade connections with India took place that caused a struggle with their neighbours, the Elamites. One of the figures of this period was Gudea of Lagash who attempted to restore the classical Sumerian civili¬sation and left behind some exquisite statues.
The ruling period of the third dynasty of Ur ended with the end of the third Millennium. While in Mesopotamia, during the third Millennium, there was a succession of civilisations from Surnerians to Akkadians to Guteans and finally the Sumerians again under the reign of the third dynasty of Ur. Egypt was united under Narmer at the beginning of the third Millennium BC and stayed as one nation for the next three thousand years.
In fact, even before this unification under Narmer and the formation of the first ruling dynasty, Egypt passed through what we call Predynastic period when Egypt was, like Sumeria, composed of small communities which developed into two regions or kingdoms. Firstly that of Upper Egypt, which had the red crown as a symbol, and that of Lower Egypt, which had the white crown as a symbol.
During that Predynastic period a great belief system devel¬oped, described by the writer James Henry Breasted as ‘The Dawn of Conscience’. This was where society had developed common values, part of which was the presence of the notion of “Maat” which represented the “Universal Order” and the importance of being in harmony with the super power.
Another achievement that happened during this period was the development of the first calendar by dividing the year into twelve months every month thirty days. In addition there were, five days of festivities. This was modified at a later stage into an exact astronomical year by adjusting the beginning of the year according to the appearance of the Sirius stat QO the hori¬zon for the first time during the month of July, which catered for the leap years. In addition, the Egyptians during that period started using Hieroglyphic writing that consisted of Pictographic writing with symbols for words, groups of conso¬nants and single consonants.
These are just some examples of the developments that took place during the Predynastic period. When Egypt was unified, there were already values and knowledge existing in the coun¬try which is why it rapidly developed into a solid civilisation during what is known as the Old Kingdom.
