Comparing Mesopotamia and Egypt

Comparing Mesopotamia and Egypt

The Mesopotamian civilization and the Nile River civilization had many similarities and differences through out their existence. The Mesopotamian civilization and the Nile River civilization both were similar in the aspect of their irrigation-based economies and extensive writing systems and intellectual ideas, but were also different because of their hierarchal social systems and their dynastic political systems. Because both of these civilizations existed around the same time period and were both river valley civilizations there are many similarities, though they also did many things different and had different beliefs.

The Nile River/Egyptian civilization and the Mesopotamian civilization were quite similar, simply because they were both river valley civilizations. This means that they both relied on their major water sources for their way of living. Which in turn, allowed both civilizations to turn to farming as a source of food and allowed them to trade with each other. They also had a lot in common because both of the civilizations communicated and traded with each other. The Mesopotamian people relied on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, while Egypt relied solely on the Nile river. Trading became a big part between these civilizations because it was easy to travel between the two civilizations. There were not any obstacles which allowed to the two countries to trade goods openly and easily. Egypt provided Mesopotamia with most of their wheat and barley, because Mesopotamia did not really have any due to their soil being very "salty" and not providing the proper nutrients in order for these basic plants to grow and survive. Mesopotamia provided wood, metal, shells, onions, lentils, fish and dairy products. Plus, they both are thought to have traded products that each civilization produced culturally, such as different types of woodworks. Both economies eventually grew to depend heavily on their farming and agriculture because in the the environment they lived in, these food sources were able to provide for these civilizations. Both civilizations also did other things tat would influence each others communities to take on these ideas. Egypt started to migrate their trading routes deep into Africa, including Nubia, south of Egypt in the NIle valley, and Punt, near the East African cost of Ethiopia and Somalia.. The Mesopotamian civilizations also expanded their trading with routes to the Indus Valley, Anatolia, Iran, and Afghanistan. Egypt also did other things to influence Mesopotamia, like their art work that they had created. Evidence shows that their was influence in ancient Mesopotamia of Egyptian art. Besides the extensive economic systems that both civilizations were similar, they were both similar in an intellectual standpoint. Both civilizations used forms of writing systems. Also, because both civilizations were river valley civilizations and produced goods for each other, it led jobs to be created and even business' started forming to take on the production of goods and trading with other civilizations. Around 3000 B.C.E Mesopotamia created an early cuneiform text, and around the same time Egypt created their hieroglyphic language. The reason that they are similar because of this, is because they both created language systems to help out with everyday life. For example they both needed these languages to create business transactions and to write different pieces of literature. Cuneiform was wedge-shaped symbols on clay tabs representing objects, abstract ideas, sounds and even syllables. The language was used to keep records of economic transactions, such as temple payments and early forms of taxes. This was regarded as the first even written language created. Egypt on the other hand, used hieroglyphs, also known as "sacred carvings." These were a series of signs that denote words and consonants. However, they did not represent any vowels or syllables. The uses of their hieroglyphs were for business and administrative uses, then were later used for religious inscriptions, poetry, hymns, and mathematics. Branches of the language included "hieratic" and "demotic" which were more formal ways of writing hieroglyphs. Mesopotamia had people writing literature, which included laws, rules and even books. Egypt used their language to make business transaction and later used it for religious purposes, poems, hymns and mathematics. Also, because both civilizations were producing goods and needed people to be responsible for things, both civilizations created jobs and business'.

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