The Rise of Uruk: The first City

Explore the fascinating journey of early human settlements in Mesopotamia, from the Ubaid to the rise of the Uruk civilisation. This video dives into the transition from neolithic social, economic, and technological advancements to the establishment of the first city-state in southern Mesopotamia.
Journey into the ancient world of Uruk, the cradle of early civilization, where monumental advances in writing, governance, and urbanization forever shaped human history. Located in modern-day Warka, Iraq, Uruk's storied past, spanning from 4000 BCE to 2900 BCE, saw it emerge as a key city in southern Mesopotamia.

Discover how Uruk inspired the name "Iraq" and became the birthplace of iconic literary works like the Epic of Gilgamesh. Follow its transformation during the "Uruk Phenomenon," where its influence spread far and wide across the ancient Near East, and marvel at the earliest forms of proto-cuneiform writing.

From the sky god Anu's temple to the goddess Inanna's worship center in the Eanna District, explore the architectural marvels of this early city. Learn about Uruk's intricate administrative systems, its role in early economic networks, and the pivotal social hierarchies depicted in the famous Uruk Vase.

This video will also delve into Uruk's impact on trade, its famed cylinder seals, and its place in art and sculpture. See how this remarkable city laid the foundations for modern systems of timekeeping, governance, and writing, and understand its enduring legacy in world history.

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#Uruk #Mesopotamia #EpicofGilgamesh #AncientCivilization #Archaeology #Sumer #History #ancientartifact

Hans J. Nissen and Peter Heine. (2009). From Mesopotamia to Iraq. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press.

Selz, G. J. (2020). The Uruk Phenomenon. The Oxford History of the Ancient Near East, 1, 163-244.

Fagan, B. M., & Durrani, N. (2019). World prehistory: A brief introduction. Routledge.

[dukeon]

This subject is super interesting. Someone even wrote a pretty good script…but then totally butchered it with a terrible AI narration. Some advice: Get a human narrator.

[PrimordialSoup]

The decision to slow your voice 1/3 in was wild. I listened till then

[brentlords]

I found the chronological order and the nearly monotone drone of the speaker difficult to pay attention to. Suggest a redo.

[homerfj]

Lots of changes in temperature, rainfall and water levels in a relatively short timescale.

[seanmalroy]

Love this, but why the voice slow-down around minute 15?

[marilievanderwalt]

Why did you slow down the audio at 15:50 😡? Not listening to the rest. It's just AWFUL!!!

[PavelDatsyuk-uiqv]

Would love to learn more about sea level rise you mentioned about 4 thousand bc. Super interesting it was a global trend !

[posticusmaximus]

The current state of this region is sad. They once were leaders in society.

[AncientWildTV]

great video! really enjoyed the way you presented the history of Uruk. however, i can't help but wonder if the narrative oversimplifies the complexities of early urban life. some argue that not all ancient cities were as organized as Uruk, and it's interesting to think about what that means for our understanding of civilization. what do you guys think?

[ragnarrklangsrok]

Holy shit do y'all need voice actors or something?

[Andy_Babb]

I LOVE that you’re putting out longer content man. This is exceptional. Great quality content

[TheVinceLyons]

👍 good breakdown. Interesting how the Persian Gulf wasn’t always as it is today. Changes one’s perspective on the human history of the area.

[billfrehe]

Just think of the archeological wonders beneath all that silt in the Persian Gulf!?

[carlhassler]

(13:08) That is a reconstructive painting of Uruk, not Eridu.

[JeffersonDavid-iy]

Another master piece of production on history of ancient Uruk

[pdruart]

All the criticism is is true and not only that it repeats information over lots of information over and over exactly the same format

[AbrahamSheikh-mw]

A very detailed content with absolutely pure academic furver.

[Crickettrails]

I love the content and the detailed nature of it

[cengizaltinveturkturanlilartar]

Ur, uruk, Turuk, ce sont originaire grand familles Tourque Touranienne, civilisation Akkad ou Khalden. Sumerienne. Merci.

[ChristineD-yuty]

Jericho was built around 9, 000BC. Uruk was not the first city built.