My group and I made a script for a project we made of Mesopotamia. In my group was Lily, Sarah S., and Brianna. I hope you like it.
Meso names: http://www.nyboria.de/meso_names.htm
Introducer: Welcome to the 3500’s… B.C.E. Let us show you one of our city-states from the earliest known civilization in the whole world, the civilization that changed the way men lived and thought. That’s right, you get to take a tour of one of the wonderful city-states of Sumer, an area of Mesopotamia! You will get to take a look into the cradle of civilization, but before we begin, let me give you a little information on how such city-states were created. As you might know, Mesopotamia was in a desert where Iraq currently is. This means that there wasn’t much wood or stones, so you will notice that our city is made of mud bricks. If you are wondering what the big, funny looking thing is in the middle of our city-state, then I can tell you it is the palace and temple of our city-state’s goddess, the amazingly powerful Serpentina, commonly known as a ziggurat.
Nin-dada: Welcome to Mesopotamia! You are visiting one of the greatest cities, Ur! This is the first time you’ve been here right, Arwi-a?
Arwi-a: Nin-dada, tell us about the ziggurat. I’ve heard so much about it. Where I come from we go in a normal building with a symbol on top to pray; there are such pretty windows.
Nin-dada: That sounds very intriguing! Here only the priest Abdi-arah can go in to the ziggurat to talk to the gods.
Abdi-arah: You see, I, the priest, am the only one who can go in to the ziggurat. Some people consider me lucky, but it’s an important job. I also have to rule over the city based on what the gods told me.
Warad-enlil: What about the houses, Nin-dada?
Nin-dada: Well the people with higher jobs get two story houses.The middle and lower class get one story houses. Both the middle class’s houses and the rich people’s houses are built around open courtyards. We have little stone and timber. We use mixed mud from the river and crushed reeds to make bricks to make our houses and buildings, instead.
Warad-enlil- Can we go over to the farming area?
Nin-Dada: Okay. Hi, Abi-simti.
Abi-simti: Hi! New tourist?
Warad-enlil: Yeah! So can you explain how this works?
Abi-Simti: Well…It all started when we knew we needed to control the twin rivers. All the hard work and planning made us closer together.
Arwi-a: What was the planning for?
Abi-Simti: Every spring the rivers flood. When the waters go down natural levees remain. We build them higher and we use them to keep back the floods. During summer, we poke holes in the levees and made channels in the soil. We made them larger until they became canals. We use them to irrigate our crops.
Arwi-a: Well, what are the usual crops you have?
Abi-Simti: Our chief crop is barley. But we also grow wheat, sesame, flax, and fruit trees, like you see here there are date palms and many vegetables. I suggest you go to the shop and courthouse. But first the dock! I’ll come with you!
Arwi-a, Warrad-enlil, and Nin-dada: Thank you!
Nin-dada: Okay,let’s go to the dock! My friend Apilsha is in charge of the dock. He can tell Arwi-a about them.
Apilsha: Hello, I’m Apilsha. This is the dock. We send boats out into the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. It is a way of transportation to other city-states. This is a sail-boat at the dock. It is much easier than our old boats, that only had paddles and no sails. Now the boats can be much larger because they are powered by the wind, not humans. Sorry, that you can’t stay longer. I have a sailboat to attend to. I hope you have a great tour!
Arwi-a: That’s amazing! I’ve never seen a sailboat like this before. You have a wonderful river. I can’t wait to tell my friends back home about this.
Warrad-enlil: You can bring your friends with you next time. We love giving tours. Let’s go over to the courthouse and some shops like Abi-Simti suggested.
Arwi-a, Nin-dada: Sure, Let’s go!
Nin-Dada: So, this building over here is called the Everything Shop. We sell many different things here, so that’s how the Everything Shop got its name.
Abi-Simti: The sign on the shop is written in cuneiform, the writing language used here. It is made up of different wedged shapes put in different directions.
Arwi-a: The sign on the orange building is written in cuneiform, too?
Nin-Dada: Yes, it is! Most tourists don’t recognize our written language that quickly. They say that it is confusing, but we have known it our whole lives. Oh, by the way the sign over there says Court House.
Warrad-enlil: Let’s go over to the corral, next. I love animals!
Abi-Simti: But, Arwi-a probably has corrals just like our corrals in his city.
Arwi-a: I would like to go see the corral, if you don’t mind. If it is a part of Ur, then I want to see it! Which way is it? Tell me about it.
Nin-Dada: It’s over here, this way! Come, everyone. Follow me!
Abi-Simti: Here we are, Arwi-a. This is our corral.
Arwi-a: Oh, yes. I have seen a corral before, but this one isn’t the same. The one in my city, back home is about the same size.
Warrad-enlil: As you can see, this is our corral. It is fenced in, so the animals cannot get out. This corral is now holding four animals. Usually, there are more.
Arwi-a: What animals are currently at your corral?
Nin-dada: We currently have two cows, one pig, and one sheep that we use for food and other needs. There is also another corral for the poorer people’s animals, and it is in the back behind some shops and homes.
Abi-Simti: Yes, very interesting, Warrad-enil. Let’s head over to another shop and homes area.The one in front of the city’s second corral.
Arwi-a: Okay, let’s go!
Warrad-enlil: There is one of our trees over there. There are not very many because like I said before, we are in a desert.
Nin-dada: Arwi-a, these are some more shops and houses. As you can see, they are also made of mud and bricks. Each shop here, only sells certain things, unlike the Everything Shop. See, the poorer people’s corrals back there. It is smaller than the other one, and only has two animals inside.
Arwi-a: Okay, and I forgot to ask before, so what is the yellow building next to the Everything Shop?
Abi-Simti: That is our school. The students learn cuneiform there. That way they can be a scribe, and keep track of records. We can go back there now.
Warrad-enlil: We can walk down the long, winding streets to the school. The street starts at the bronze gate, and circles around the ziggurat. It stops at the Court House, the Everything Shop, and the school.
Nin-Dada: Look! A student is coming out of the school! Let’s go and ask him questions, so Arwi-a will know about the school from a real, live student with experience!
Zuzu: Hi Uncle Abi-Simti! Are these your friends? It’s nice to meet you. I’m Zuzu!
Abi-Simti: Let me introduce you to my nephew, Zuzu. He is studying to be a scribe. Zuzu, this is a new tourist, Arwi-a. He would love to know more about the school.
Nin-Dada: That’s right! Nice to meet you, Zuzu! I’m your uncle’s fellow tour guide, Nin-Dada. We do not want to interrupt your studies, if you are busy.
Zuzu: No, not at all!
Nin-Dada: Okay, so tell our tourist here about the school.
Arwi-a: I would love to hear about the school! I have my own family, and would like for my son to go to a school that is as nice as this one.
Zuzu: This is the school I go to. I am just now leaving, and have learned a lot of cuneiform here. Before, I went here I could only read a little, and couldn’t write at all. This school teaches students who want to be scribes. Scribes are very important here. They keep track of sales, or they can write down information to document history.
Abi-Simti: That was a wonderful description of the school, Zuzu. Would you like to help give the tour?
Zuzu: Of course! I would love to help. Let’s go show Arwi-a the bronze gate!
Nin-Dada: There is a guard at the gate we can talk to. He can tell us what his job is like.
Etel-Pisha: Hello, what may I help you with? We are open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Nin-Dada: We are just on a tour. Why do we close the bronze gate at night?
Etel-Pisha: To keep the wolves and wild animals out. But mostly lions. We also have walls in case of invaders. Oh no, wolf! Please go back to the city. I’ll handle this!
Nin-Dada: Whew! I’m so glad we got out of there. That was scary. That was. I guess that concludes our tour. I hope you choose to stay!
Arwi-A: Thank you!
Closure: You have looked into deep history. You can learn more about Mesopotamia here!
Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/befuddledsenses/78755971/
Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosemania/86747610/
