Other Occupations in Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia was a region in the Middle East located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. It was home to one of the earliest civilizations in human history, which emerged around 4000 BCE. Agriculture was the main occupation of Mesopotamian people, but they also engaged in other activities to sustain their livelihood. Here are some of their other occupations:

Craftsmanship:
Craftsmanship was a very important occupation in Mesopotamia. People were skilled in making pottery, metalwork, weaving, and other crafts. They used local resources to create products that were traded within and outside the region. The Mesopotamian metalworkers created valuable items such as jewelry, weapons, and tools.

Trade:
Mesopotamia was a hub for trade, which was facilitated by its strategic location. The region was a crossroads for trade routes between Asia and Europe. People traded goods such as pottery, textiles, metals, and precious stones. The Mesopotamians also developed a system of writing that facilitated trade, allowing them to keep records of transactions.

Fishing:
The Tigris and Euphrates rivers were a major source of fish for the Mesopotamians. They used nets and traps to catch fish, which were consumed and traded. The Mesopotamians also used fish for religious rituals, as they believed that certain fish had divine properties.

Government:
Mesopotamia was ruled by kings who were responsible for maintaining law and order. The kings appointed officials to manage various aspects of the government, such as taxation, irrigation, and defense. The Mesopotamians also had a system of laws that governed their society.

Religion:
Religion was an integral part of Mesopotamian life. The Mesopotamians believed in multiple gods and goddesses who controlled different aspects of their lives. They built temples and made offerings to their deities. The priests played an important role in society, as they acted as intermediaries between the people and the gods.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, the Mesopotamians engaged in a variety of occupations in addition to agriculture. These included craftsmanship, trade, fishing, government, and religion. These occupations helped to sustain their society and facilitated the development of their civilization.

Farming : Their was yearly flooding from both the Tigris and Euphrates rivers helped Farmers with the help of irrigation they invented. The area did not supply enough rainfall for crops so irrigation was needed from the river to the gardens.

2. Baking : An enormous number of names of edible plants, animals, and spices were used to cook even though Mesopotamia was for the most part very dry and hot. the Tigris and the Euphrates irrigated the soil on its banks and produced a lot of very fertile soil that was used to grow many other types of crops.Bread could also be enriched with animal and vegetable fat; milk, butter, and cheese; fruit and fruit juice; and sesame seeds were grown in the gardens of Mesopotamia

3. Weaving or clothing : These civilization's clothings remain on sculptures, pottery, and in writings left on tablets and royal tombs. It indicates that a thriving textile or fabric industry existed in early Mesopotamia wore waist strings or small loincloths that provided barely any coverage. However, later the wraparound skirt was introduced, which hung to the knee or lower and was held up by a thick, rounded belt that tied in the back.

4. Potting : Mesopotamians were great potters, and the pottery of the region tells the story of a people who were practical and artistic, they built pots using a variety of methods: coil building, slab building and pinch potting. A potter’s hands are one of the best and most valuable tools. In addition to traditional pottery such as food ware, urns, pots and bowls, the Mesopotamians hand built clay figures, generally of gods and goddesses