Sumer and the Sumerians (Paperback)

by Harriet E. W. Crawford (Author) "Ever since the advent of Christianity, the Levant and especially the lands of the Bible have exerted a special fascination..." (more)
Key Phrases: simple inhumations, cart burials, cone mosaic, Early Dynastic, Jemdat Nasr, Tell Asmar (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Up-to-date historical and archaeological sources are drawn on in a review of the extraordinary social and technological developments, from 3800 to 2000 BC, of one of the best-known ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia. -- Book Description

Product Description
Mesopotamia produced one of the best-known ancient civilizations, with a literate, urban culture and highly-developed political institutions. Writing primarily for a nonspecialist audience but drawing on the most up-to-date historical and archaeological sources, Harriet Crawford reviews the extraordinary social and technological developments in the region over a period of two millennia, from 3800 to 2000 BC. She describes the physical environment and discusses architecture, trade and industry, the development of writing, and changes in social and political structures. The final chapter examines the shift in power during this period from the "temple" to the "palace."

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (April 26, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521388503
• ISBN-13: 978-0521388504
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,108,324 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Dry As Dust, June 17, 2004

By	Michael Gunther (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The cover blurb for "Sumer and the Sumerians" indicates that it is written "primarily for a non-specialist audience," but this is misleading; the book is actually an introductory textbook for university-level courses in Sumerian archaeology. As such, its primary scope is to introduce and summarize the archaeological evidence related to Sumerian chronology, settlement patterns, secular and religious architecture, grave goods, manufacturing, trade, and writing.

The book is written almost exclusively from an archaeological perspective. The outstandingly rich literature and art of ancient Sumeria is barely glanced at in passing. The book's prose is dry and academic, and it is illustrated meagrely, with black-and-white line drawings. Unless you are already deeply interested in Sumeria and the Sumerians, this book is unlikely to kindle your enthusiasm.

Although it can't be recommended for the general reader, serious university students will benefit from the book's high standard of scholarship and clear, if uninspiring, exposition. When used as a college text, it will need to be supplemented by visual aids and additional resources on the art, literature, and religion of Sumeria.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A factual description of the Sumerian civilization, February 7, 2006

By	David Oldacre (Sutton, Quebec) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This 182 page book is one of several I have read in recent months on ancient Mesopotamia, so I was familiar with many of the topics which are included. Professor Crawford states in the preface that the book is intended for students and especially those beginning to study the archaeology and history of the Ancient Near East. She also states that the book attempts to combine a chronological account with that of a number of major themes, her emphasis being on descriptions rather than explanations.

The book covers the development of the Sumerian civilization in Mesopotamia during the period c 3800BC to 2000BC, with the following themes described in separate chapters:
(1) Rediscovery of the Ancient Near East: the physical environment
(2) History, chronology, and social organization
(3) Patterns of settlement and agriculture
(4) Town planning and temple architecture
(5) Public building and private housing
(6) Life, death, and the meaning of the universe
(7) Manufacturing industry, and trade
(8) Writing and the arts
(9) Conclusions - the development of Sumerian society
The book includes 8 maps and 80 illustrations most of which I have seen in the other books I have read on the subject, although I do believe them to be representative of the period The reference section lists the works of some 150 authors, which includes some of the works of the early archaeologists, as well as more recent works of the 1970s and 1980s, and there is also a short index.

For me the first three chapters are the most useful part of the book and provide a very good introduction to the subject.
Chapter 1 is an overview of the archaeological work done to about 1990 since the 19th century rediscovery of the major sites of the Sumerian civilization, and a general description of the nature of the land, the climate and ecological zones, and the trade routes.
Chapter 2 is a review of the basic periods of the development of the Sumerian civilization based on archaeological records, scientific methods of dating, and the historical record from tablets and inscriptions. Professor Crawford points out that while many of these are quite problematic and inconsistent with each other, they still provide much useful solid information
Chapter 3 is a very interesting summarization of the results of a number of geographical surveys performed by Robert Adams in the 1960s, which is covered in considerably more detail in the "The Early History of the Ancient Near East" by Hans J Nissen,
Chapters 4 - 8 provide detailed descriptions of the archaeological findings from the most significant Sumerian sites, with the concluding chapter discussing the outstanding characteristics which may have contributed to the development of the Sumerian civilization.

I liked the fact that Professor Crawford concentrates on the facts "on the ground" and is careful to explain why some proposals put forward by earlier and eminent archaeologists are difficult to accept due to inconsistent or insufficient evidence from which to draw sound conclusions. The book is well written and easy to read, but I must confess that I had to read it a second time in order to prepare this review, which shows that on the first time around I did not absorb as much of the material as I would have hoped.

For me, the weakest part is the chapter on "Writing and the arts" which concentrates more on the arts than on the development of writing which must be the most significant achievement and legacy of the Sumerian civilization. I was also surprised at her statement that there have been no drastic or fundamental changes in the weather patterns. It was my understanding that one of the major driving forces in the development of Sumerian civilization was the requirement to organize the development and maintenance of the irrigation channels as a result of the gradual drying up of the lower part of Mesopotamia during much of the 4th and 3rd millennia. I found that the maps were somewhat vague since they generally only included most important sites, and geographical features such as the Diyala and Hamrin valleys had to be deduced from the descriptions in the text. I also wonder if there have been any major new findings in the 15 years since 1991 when the book was first published.

In summary, I think that this is a solid introduction to the study of the Sumerian civilization, but I prefer "The Ancient Orient - An Introduction to the Study of the Ancient Near East" by Wolfram von Soden as an introduction to the subject. I also prefer "The Early History of the Ancient Near East: 9000 - 2000BC" by Hans J Nissen, since that provides the background of the earlier period leading up to the development of the Sumerian civilization.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Living in Sumer, May 18, 2000

By	Christopher B. Siren (Medford, MA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Crawford examines Sumerian culture from an archaeological perspective. Unlike, Kramer's _The_Sumerians_ the focus is more on daily life than on mythology or historical figures. Her discussion of Sumerian religion deals more with its social aspects, how one buries the dead, how temples were laid out and the importance of the role of the priests in society, and less on the doings of the deities. Much more of the work is focused on what types of buildings the Sumerians lived in, what kinds of occupations they had, who they traded what with, and so forth. Also, throughout the work are a number of helpful maps and illustrations. The work appears to be fairly up to date and my first encounter with it was as reccommended reading for an undergraduate archaeology course.