LEADER 03761nam 2200673 a 450 001 9910455278903321 005 20200520144314.0 010 $a1-282-07030-4 010 $a9786612070303 010 $a0-226-01378-2 024 7 $a10.7208/9780226013787 035 $a(CKB)1000000000766667 035 $a(EBL)432189 035 $a(OCoLC)435816735 035 $a(SSID)ssj0000103314 035 $a(PQKBManifestationID)11119836 035 $a(PQKBTitleCode)TC0000103314 035 $a(PQKBWorkID)10070167 035 $a(PQKB)10319519 035 $a(StDuBDS)EDZ0000122010 035 $a(MiAaPQ)EBC432189 035 $a(DE-B1597)523608 035 $a(OCoLC)1135613976 035 $a(DE-B1597)9780226013787 035 $a(Au-PeEL)EBL432189 035 $a(CaPaEBR)ebr10288714 035 $a(CaONFJC)MIL207030 035 $a(EXLCZ)991000000000766667 100 $a20080405d2008 uy 0 101 0 $aeng 135 $aur|n|---||||| 181 $ctxt 182 $cc 183 $acr 200 10$aAncient Mesopotamia at the dawn of civilization$b[electronic resource] $ethe evolution of an urban landscape /$fGuillermo Algaze 210 $aChicago $cUniversity of Chicago Press$d2008 215 $a1 online resource (249 p.) 300 $aDescription based upon print version of record. 311 $a0-226-01377-4 320 $aIncludes bibliographical references (p. [193]-219) and index. 327 $aThe Sumerian takeoff -- Factors hindering our understanding of the Sumerian takeoff -- Modeling the dynamics of urban growth -- Early Mesopotamian urbanism : why? -- Early Mesopotamian urbanism : how? -- The evidence for trade -- Early Mesopotamian urbanism in comparative perspective -- The synergies of civilization -- Conclusion: The Mesopotamian conjuncture -- Epilogue: Early Sumerian civilization : a research agenda. 330 $aThe alluvial lowlands of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in southern Mesopotamia are widely known as the "cradle of civilization," owing to the scale of the processes of urbanization that took place in the area by the second half of the fourth millennium BCE. In Ancient Mesopotamia at the Dawn of Civilization, Guillermo Algaze draws on the work of modern economic geographers to explore how the unique river-based ecology and geography of the Tigris-Euphrates alluvium affected the development of urban civilization in southern Mesopotamia. He argues that these natural conditions granted southern polities significant competitive advantages over their landlocked rivals elsewhere in Southwest Asia, most importantly the ability to easily transport commodities. In due course, this resulted in increased trade and economic activity and higher population densities in the south than were possible elsewhere. As southern polities grew in scale and complexity throughout the fourth millennium, revolutionary new forms of labor organization and record keeping were created, and it is these socially created innovations, Algaze argues, that ultimately account for why fully developed city-states emerged earlier in southern Mesopotamia than elsewhere in Southwest Asia or the world. 606 $aCities and towns, Ancient$zIraq 606 $aCity planning$zIraq 606 $aCommerce, Prehistoric$zIraq 607 $aIraq$xCivilization$yTo 634 608 $aElectronic books. 615 0$aCities and towns, Ancient 615 0$aCity planning 615 0$aCommerce, Prehistoric 676 $a307.760935 700 $aAlgaze$b Guillermo$f1954-$0991591 801 0$bMiAaPQ 801 1$bMiAaPQ 801 2$bMiAaPQ 906 $aBOOK 912 $a9910455278903321 996 $aAncient Mesopotamia at the dawn of civilization$92269388 997 $aUNINA