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While Iraq isn't known for having a
rich history of inventions, it is the birthplace of many of the
world's most important inventions and developments -- some of which
are taken for granted -- such as streets and canals, as well as the
first city-states around 3,500 B.C.
The land known today for its mass
burial graves and possible weapons of mass destruction is believed
to have been home to the Tower of Babel, was probably home to Noah's
ark and was possibly home to the Garden of Eden. The area known
today as Iraq was once known as Mesopotamia.
The name "Mesopotamia" means "land
between the two rivers" -- the Tigris and Euphrates rivers -- while
the name "Iraq" is an Arabic word that means "the shore and grazing
area of a river." Mesopotamia is known as the "cradle of
civilization," and its people were the first to record history in
writing.
The southern part of Mesopotamia was
known as Sumer, and it was this region which produced many of
Mesopotamia's great innovations. The earliest known wheel was
developed here around 3,000 B.C. and was soon used for chariots; the
flat tire wasn't invented for another 4,900 years. It is possible
that the wheel was originally developed somewhere else, as there
were no written records up to that point in time.
Sumerians developed the world's first
form of writing, called cuneiform, around 3,000 B.C., which was
before the Egyptians developed hieroglyphics. Cuneiform contained
more than 2,000 symbols and was written on clay tablets. The scribes
who could read and write were nearly always assured of a job because
merchants, priests and judges needed someone to write and read their
records for them.
Southern Mesopotamia was also home to
the biblical figure Abraham, and it was here that the Dead Sea
Scrolls were discovered in 1947. The people of this region were
excellent mathematicians. They based their math on the number 60 and
numbers that divide evenly into 60. This is where the 60-second
minute, the 12-hour clock and the 360-degree circle all come from.
Modern-day astrology even traces its roots back to the Mesopotamian
people, as they used the location of the stars to schedule the
planting of their crops.
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Heading north, the ancient city of
Babylon was located approximately 100 miles south of present-day
Baghdad. Here it is said that Babylonians built the Tower of Babel
in an attempt to reach heaven. When God disapproved, he prevented
the people from communicating with each other by making them speak
in different languages. This is where the word "babble" derives its
meaning (think about it) and where foreign languages originated. The
hanging gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the World,
were also created here.
Other worthy inventions that originated
in Mesopotamia include the first stringed harp, the sickle for
harvesting grain, the first windmills used to pump water and the
first soap.
Some of the modern laws, used in nearly
every form of government today, that relate to marriage and divorce,
theft, debt, and land rights are derived from the legal codes of
Babylon. One of the most well-known codes was the Hammurabi Code,
which contained laws such as "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a
tooth," as well as the practice of cutting off a man's hand for
certain crimes.
Speaking of crimes, one modern-day
scribe suggested that Iraq should be renamed as Mesopotamia once
again. Since there's no chance that Saddam will ever return to rule
the country, losing the name of Iraq might be a good way to give the
country and its people a fresh start.
[Paul
Niemann]
Invention Mysteries is written each
week by Paul Niemann. He can be reached at
niemann7@inventionmysteries.com.
Copyright
Paul Niemann 2003
Last week's column in LDN:
"What kept these inventors from obtaining patents on their own?"
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