Mesopotamia
Nicknames:
The
Land Between Two Rivers
Cradle of Western
Civilization
Why would anyone wish to build a civilization in the middle of the
desert in what is now lower Iraq? The answer: Because it was a
wonderful place to live.
Many
thousands of years ago, early settlers began to build cities along the
banks of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. Natural wildlife and
vegetation kept them fed while they began to build their new world.
They
wove sturdy baskets from the weeds that grew along the riverbanks and
made pottery from the wet clay.
It did not
rain much, but the early settlers soon learned that if you irrigated
the land, crops grew quickly. These early people built canals to
bring water to the land from the rivers. They planted wheat, barley,
dates, and vegetables including cucumbers, onions, apples, and spices.
They raised
sheep, goats, and cows. They hunted wild game birds and other animals,
and enjoyed fish, cheese, eggs, roasted duck, pork, and deer.
