Learning about Education in the ancient land of Mesopotamia
Mesopotamian education, founded by the Sumerians during the creation of writing around 3500 BCE, was a significant component of ancient history. Laid the groundwork for the first written works, scribal schools in Mesopotamia were instrumental in the preservation and growth of knowledge.
The educational system's roots can be traced back to the edubba, or "House of Tablets." Discovered amidst archaeological excavations in the mid-19th century, scribal houses were built to instruct students in the craft of writing using cuneiform script on clay tablets. These schools emerged initially near temples eventually moving to separate buildings.
Scholars have gathered information about the schools as a result of tablets discovered in the ruins of the city of Nippur, primarily, and elsewhere. Students began their learning journey around age ten, continuing for approximately twelve years. Upon completion, students would gain mastery over cuneiform script, Sumerian and Akkadian languages, and a wide range of subjects including agriculture, engineering, astronomy, medicine, and literature.
The basic structure of the edubba had minimal change from the Early Dynastic period (2900-2334 BCE) to the fall of the Neo-Assyrian Empire (912-612 BCE). While education persisted after 612 BCE, the most clear-cut evidence stems from the Early Dynastic era to the reign of Neo-Assyrian King Ashurbanipal (668-627 BCE). Remains of Ashurbanipal's library at Nineveh and the scribal school at Nippur have furnished contemporary scholars with valuable insights into Sumerian literature and the Mesopotamian educational system.
The invention of writing in the Uruk Period (4100-2900 BCE) enabled long-distance trade communication, which eventually led to the establishment of the first schools. While merchants initially relied on clay balls known as bullae containing tokens representing goods, writing systems allowing for easier communication were developed. The earliest examples of written communication involve pictograms, phonograms, and logograms, evolving over time into cuneiform script.
The majority of students entering scribal schools were male; the children of the upper class and nobility were the primary attendees, although some girls from merchant and clergy families may have joined as well. Slaves also received education to assist their masters with scribal tasks.
Headed by the "Father of the Tablet House," schools employed other faculty members as specialists. They were structured similarly to ancient families, with the head of the school equivalent to a modern-day school principal. The faculty included older students who served as teaching assistants in aiding younger learners.
The curriculum included exercises focused on developing proper handwriting, learning vocabulary, understanding grammar, and gaining proficiency in various subjects. Proverbs played a significant role in education, aiding in learning proper vocabulary, form, grammar, style, and interpretation.
The curriculum was divided into stages, with each stage using a different type of writing tablet. Students began with "lentil-shaped" tablets before progressing to tablets that held longer, completed compositions demonstrating mastery of cuneiform script and subject matter.
Upon mastering a series of compositions known as the Tetrad and Decad, as well as House F compositions like "Edubba B" and "Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Netherworld," students could graduate as scribes. The opportunities for scribes were abundant, working in government, temples, and businesses, among others.
Notable works conceived by these scribes include renowned literary pieces like "The Epic of Gilgamesh" and "The Descent of Inanna." Scribes have also established enduring genres in literature and contributed to inventing the world's first historical fiction and fundamental laws.
By the time of the Akkadian priestess-poet Enheduanna (2285-2250 BCE) and the Babylonian scribe Shin-Leqi-Unninni, the scribal system had been refined extensively, preserving Mesopotamian languages, religion, and culture. These nameless scribes were crucial to society, ensuring the preservation of knowledge for future generations.
Themes of discipline, hard work, and persistence characterized the lives of Mesopotamian scribal school students. The learning process demanded memorization and repetition and was guided by instructors employing strict methods of education. Upon earning their status as scribes, they held a high social standing in Mesopotamian society.
Lifelong learning was a central aspect of the Mesopotamian educational system, with students starting their journey around age ten and continuing for approximately twelve years. This education encompassed not just mastery over cuneiform script and languages, but also subjects like agriculture, engineering, astronomy, medicine, and literature.
The Mesopotamian educational system, renowned for its emphasis on education-and-self-development, established a solid foundation for the scribes who would go on to create seminal works in the fields of literature, historical fiction, and laws, evolving and preserving Mesopotamian languages, religion, and culture over millennia.
