Daily Life of Ancient Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia underwent a transition when the Sumerian civilization emerged. People used to live in small villages and the majority of them would hunt and gather until cities and big towns were commonplace. The daily routine and duties were not too varied.

Things altered as huge cities expanded. There were numerous jobs and pursuits. While many people continued to work as farmers in the countryside, in the city one could grow up to work as a priest, scribe, trader, craftsman, soldier, civil servant, or laborer, among other occupations.

Various Groups of People

For the first time maybe, society was separating into separate classes as a result of people settling in towns and governments emerging. The king and his family were at the top of society. The priests were also regarded as being among the best. The rich members of the upper class, including scribes and high-ranking bureaucrats, made up the remainder.

A modest middle class of artisans, merchants, and public servants existed beneath the ruling elite. They could support themselves well and put in a lot of effort to try to advance in class.

Farmers and workers made constituted the lower class. These people had a harder life, but they were still able to succeed through perseverance.

The slaves were at the bottom. The king owned slaves, and the upper class would buy and sell them. Typically, slaves were combatants who were taken prisoner.

What kind of residences did they have?

Homes made of mud brick were the norm. They had two to three storeys and a rectangular shape. People frequently slept on the flat roofs during the sweltering summers. The homes were kept a little bit warmer in the winter and a little bit cooler in the summer because to the mud brick’s effectiveness as an insulator.

Entertainment

As Mesopotamian cities became more prosperous, there were more resources and leisure hours available for individuals to partake in amusement. At festivals, they listened to music played on harps, lyres, flutes, and drums. They also enjoyed board games and dice-based games of chance, as well as sports like boxing and wrestling. Toys like jump ropes and tops would have been available for the kids of the time.

In the more affluent cities, poetry and art were very prevalent. The majority of the poetry and artwork had a religious theme or paid homage to the local king. Over many centuries, storytellers would have passed down their tales, with some of the more well-known ones finally being recorded on clay tablets by scribes.

Clothing

Wool or sheepskin were commonly used to make clothing. The women wore longer dresses, while the men wore skirts resembling kilts. They liked to wear jewelry, particularly rings. The men had beards and long hair, while the women braided their long hair. Men and women both wore cosmetics.