1 00:00:33,259 --> 00:00:40,000 One day, in the country of Sumer, part of the ancient land of Mesopotamia, 2 00:00:40,460 --> 00:00:45,060 students were hard at work at homes all across the famous city-state of Nippur. 3 00:00:45,759 --> 00:00:49,719 Their teacher had asked them to write a journal about their lives and their country. 4 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:55,359 Nisaba, one of those students, chose to tell how writing developed in her homeland. 5 00:00:56,740 --> 00:01:00,560 My grandfather says that in the old days, nobody knew how to write. 6 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:07,219 Writing started when my ancestors needed a way to keep records on what had happened from year to year 7 00:01:07,219 --> 00:01:10,760 Like how much grain each farmer had grown 8 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:14,120 And how much different people got as their shares 9 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:17,400 And how many sheep and cattle they had 10 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,200 How many animals died and how many were born 11 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:23,599 And how much of everything was given to the gods 12 00:01:23,599 --> 00:01:29,760 We started out by drawing little pictures that represented words 13 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:33,319 Like this picture. It represented a star. 14 00:01:34,219 --> 00:01:36,700 Well, over time, people started writing faster. 15 00:01:37,459 --> 00:01:40,200 And the picture of the star changed to this. 16 00:01:40,819 --> 00:01:41,959 And eventually this. 17 00:01:42,780 --> 00:01:45,659 Now our writing looks more like symbols than pictures. 18 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,019 We combine the symbols to make words and names. 19 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:52,560 See? Here's how you write Udu's name. 20 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:55,099 Udu is my pet sheep, by the way. 21 00:01:56,079 --> 00:01:58,120 Our style of writing is called cuneiform. 22 00:01:58,700 --> 00:01:59,959 That means wedge-shaped. 23 00:02:00,579 --> 00:02:02,719 All the symbols are made up of little wedge marks. 24 00:02:05,030 --> 00:02:08,129 That's because we use a tool called a stylus to write. 25 00:02:08,909 --> 00:02:11,210 We cut them from reeds that grow along the river. 26 00:02:11,490 --> 00:02:13,289 We'll never run out of those. 27 00:02:15,180 --> 00:02:16,780 We write on clay tablets. 28 00:02:17,439 --> 00:02:19,000 There's plenty of clay around, too. 29 00:02:20,259 --> 00:02:22,879 All we have to do is pat some clay into a pancake, 30 00:02:23,500 --> 00:02:25,719 then cut a stylus, 31 00:02:26,659 --> 00:02:29,180 press the end of the stylus into the wet clay, 32 00:02:29,580 --> 00:02:30,879 and start writing. 33 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:36,120 When we're finished, we put the tablet in the sun to dry and harden 34 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:38,520 Then the tablets last forever 35 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:40,240 Well, almost 36 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:44,139 Writing helped make our civilization powerful 37 00:02:44,139 --> 00:02:47,960 Because we could keep records, we could make plans for the future 38 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:50,360 That's what my dad does 39 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:51,659 He works for the king 40 00:02:51,659 --> 00:02:55,680 His job is to tell the farmers which fields to plant 41 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,860 and which crops to grow and how much 42 00:02:58,740 --> 00:03:02,240 So we're always sure that we'll have enough food for all of our people. 43 00:03:02,759 --> 00:03:04,620 And enough for the gods, too. 44 00:03:06,740 --> 00:03:11,099 Like my mom always says, I'm a very lucky young woman. 45 00:03:11,539 --> 00:03:13,639 That's because I'm learning how to write. 46 00:03:14,300 --> 00:03:18,939 I go to tablet school, which is called an aduba, to train to be a scribe. 47 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:23,000 It takes 12 years to learn. 48 00:03:23,659 --> 00:03:26,960 Not many kids get to learn how to write, especially girls. 49 00:03:27,780 --> 00:03:29,439 Mostly there are boys in my class. 50 00:03:30,659 --> 00:03:35,620 We learn our cuneiform characters by writing down proverbs and riddles that the teacher gives us. 51 00:03:36,979 --> 00:03:43,199 Scribes, we call them dubsar, keep records of just about everything important that happens in Sumer. 52 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:45,620 Like how much tax everyone paid. 53 00:03:47,020 --> 00:03:49,639 When the traders leave and what they take with them. 54 00:03:50,340 --> 00:03:55,159 What the gods tell us to do and on what day and what offerings we make to them. 55 00:03:55,159 --> 00:03:58,159 We've also written down our laws 56 00:03:58,159 --> 00:04:03,099 I was surprised to learn we're the first civilization ever to do that 57 00:04:03,099 --> 00:04:07,099 When they're written down, laws can stay the same for longer 58 00:04:07,099 --> 00:04:09,680 And they take on a life of their own in a way 59 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:14,740 Some scribes work with the priests in the temples 60 00:04:14,740 --> 00:04:17,720 The priests watch the moon and stars every night 61 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,699 And the scribes write down everything they observe 62 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:23,480 The priests are looking for signs 63 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:26,120 that will help them figure out what the gods have in mind. 64 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:30,220 And also for hints that a flood might be coming 65 00:04:30,220 --> 00:04:32,560 so we can make sure our levees are strong enough 66 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:33,560 to hold back the water. 67 00:04:35,379 --> 00:04:37,899 Our priests have gotten very good at figuring out 68 00:04:37,899 --> 00:04:39,199 how much time has gone by. 69 00:04:40,379 --> 00:04:42,639 So scribes also write down when things happen. 70 00:04:43,639 --> 00:04:46,259 That way the priests can look for patterns in the past 71 00:04:46,259 --> 00:04:47,699 and try to predict the future. 72 00:04:47,699 --> 00:04:54,180 our civilization couldn't function without scribes there are too many details for anyone 73 00:04:54,180 --> 00:05:00,279 to remember them all but as long as we can write them down we don't have to worry about forgetting 74 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:06,699 some other things we don't want to forget are our stories and legends we're the first 75 00:05:06,699 --> 00:05:11,000 civilization ever to write our stories down instead of just retelling them to each other 76 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:23,389 a lot of our best stories are about the gods those stories are called myths 77 00:05:23,389 --> 00:05:31,990 here in my city state of nippur the patron god is called enlil he's the most important god in sumer 78 00:05:31,990 --> 00:05:38,730 each city state has a special god that protects it even though we believe the gods made us humans 79 00:05:38,730 --> 00:05:45,939 so we could take care of them there's a story that tells about the time when the gods had 80 00:05:45,939 --> 00:05:51,620 second thoughts about having created human beings. They decided to send a huge flood 81 00:05:51,620 --> 00:05:57,959 to wash everybody away. But one of the gods didn't agree. He told a man named Ziusudra 82 00:05:57,959 --> 00:06:05,379 put his family and all the animals he could find into a boat. It rained and stormed for 83 00:06:05,379 --> 00:06:12,639 seven days. But Ziusudra was safe in his boat. And that's how humans and animals survived 84 00:06:12,639 --> 00:06:22,899 the great flood. There's another really famous story. It's one of my favorites. It's a very long 85 00:06:22,899 --> 00:06:30,019 story called an epic. It's about a king named Gilgamesh. He's a hero who has a lot of adventures 86 00:06:30,019 --> 00:06:37,360 along with his best friend whose name is Enkidu. Enkidu is a wild man who runs with the animals 87 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:45,290 but then he meets Gilgamesh and they really hit it off. One day they were looking for adventure 88 00:06:45,290 --> 00:06:47,930 so they decided to travel west to the mountains 89 00:06:47,930 --> 00:06:49,870 high up into the cedar forest 90 00:06:49,870 --> 00:06:51,810 to bring cedar wood back to the city 91 00:06:51,810 --> 00:06:54,889 cedar trees are tall and straight 92 00:06:54,889 --> 00:06:56,829 and the wood lasts a long time 93 00:06:56,829 --> 00:06:58,670 it's perfect for building a palace 94 00:06:58,670 --> 00:07:01,970 but there was another reason for going to the cedar forest 95 00:07:01,970 --> 00:07:04,329 a demon lived there 96 00:07:04,329 --> 00:07:08,870 he was a huge angry demon named Huwawa 97 00:07:08,870 --> 00:07:13,250 Gilgamesh and Enkidu thought they were strong enough 98 00:07:13,250 --> 00:07:14,310 to defeat him in battle 99 00:07:14,310 --> 00:07:21,730 and they wanted to try so the two friends set out they moved so fast a trip that should have 100 00:07:21,730 --> 00:07:32,689 taken six months they made in just two weeks leaving the river valley they climbed higher 101 00:07:32,689 --> 00:07:38,589 and higher the air became crisp and cool and they could hear the sounds of rushing streams and the 102 00:07:38,589 --> 00:07:44,269 wind blowing in the trees soon they reached the place where the cedar trees grew tallest and 103 00:07:44,269 --> 00:07:50,610 straightest. They brought out their axes to start cutting them down. Gilgamesh had just touched the 104 00:07:50,610 --> 00:07:58,870 first tree with his axe when they heard an awful roar. It was Huwawa. The demon took a giant leap 105 00:07:58,870 --> 00:08:06,009 toward them. Why are you cutting my trees, he said. Leave now or you'll be sorry. His face was horrible 106 00:08:06,009 --> 00:08:12,610 and twisted with anger. Well, I would have left right then, but Gilgamesh and Enkidu turned to 107 00:08:12,610 --> 00:08:20,759 face the demon. They called on the sun god to protect them. The sun god liked Gilgamesh so he 108 00:08:20,759 --> 00:08:27,740 sent the 13 great winds to wrap themselves around Huwawa and bring him to the ground. The demon 109 00:08:27,740 --> 00:08:33,559 promised Gilgamesh all the cedar wood he could carry if only he would set him free. But Enkidu 110 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:40,480 didn't believe a word. Don't let him go he warned Gilgamesh. So with one swift stroke Gilgamesh 111 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:49,169 killed the demon. Then they were free to choose the finest cedar trees. They cut them into 112 00:08:49,169 --> 00:08:54,370 logs, lashed the logs together into a raft, and floated back down the Euphrates River 113 00:08:54,370 --> 00:09:02,279 to the city. After that, Gilgamesh was even more famous. Tales of his deeds even reached 114 00:09:02,279 --> 00:09:09,799 the ears of the gods. The goddess Inanna heard about Gilgamesh. She was the goddess of love 115 00:09:09,799 --> 00:09:17,159 and she fell in love with him but Gilgamesh brushed her off and was very rude well Inanna 116 00:09:17,159 --> 00:09:25,559 was also the goddess of war and now she was furious she sent the giant bull of heaven to 117 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:31,960 trample the city as the bull charged toward them Enkidu caught it by the horns and Gilgamesh struck 118 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:38,440 the beast with his sword and killed it the grateful people threw a huge feast to celebrate 119 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:41,080 But the gods were not pleased. 120 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:45,980 Soon afterward, Enkidu became very sick and died. 121 00:09:46,799 --> 00:09:48,080 Gilgamesh was really upset. 122 00:09:48,820 --> 00:09:52,779 He started to search for ways to become immortal so he'd never have to die himself. 123 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:59,179 He decided to find Ziyasudra, the only man to survive the great flood. 124 00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:02,399 Surely he knew the secret of eternal life. 125 00:10:07,179 --> 00:10:09,519 Gilgamesh wandered into the wild lands 126 00:10:09,519 --> 00:10:12,899 and eventually came to a door leading into a mountain. 127 00:10:13,899 --> 00:10:16,620 It was the entrance to the land of the gods, 128 00:10:17,179 --> 00:10:19,360 guarded by fearsome scorpion men 129 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:21,679 who allowed him to enter the dark tunnel 130 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:24,340 where no human had ever set foot. 131 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:29,860 At the end of the tunnel, 132 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,460 he found the dazzling garden of the gods 133 00:10:32,460 --> 00:10:34,919 where the bushes were hung with jewels. 134 00:10:36,059 --> 00:10:38,879 There, he found a woman who asked Gilgamesh 135 00:10:38,879 --> 00:10:47,139 why he looked so sad i want to be immortal gilgamesh said just enjoy your life the woman 136 00:10:47,139 --> 00:10:57,100 replied eat drink dance love that's what life is for but gilgamesh wasn't convinced so the woman 137 00:10:57,100 --> 00:11:06,039 told him how to cross the ocean and find zia sudra but when gilgamesh finally found him 138 00:11:06,460 --> 00:11:07,620 Ziyasudra couldn't help. 139 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:11,080 Immortality is a gift of the gods, he said. 140 00:11:11,799 --> 00:11:14,159 It is their secret and theirs alone. 141 00:11:16,340 --> 00:11:19,320 So Gilgamesh came home empty-handed, but wiser. 142 00:11:20,299 --> 00:11:22,500 Now, as he looks at the walls of his city, 143 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:25,179 the city he spent his whole life building, 144 00:11:25,919 --> 00:11:29,840 he realizes how much better it is to do good work in the time that he has 145 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:32,620 rather than spend time trying to become immortal. 146 00:11:33,059 --> 00:11:39,570 So that is part of the epic of Gilgamesh. 147 00:11:40,250 --> 00:11:42,409 His story and my journal are alike in a way. 148 00:11:43,090 --> 00:11:45,129 When our stories and thoughts are written down, 149 00:11:45,529 --> 00:11:47,389 other people can read and understand them. 150 00:11:48,049 --> 00:11:50,549 And that's why I think it's so great that we've learned to write. 151 00:11:50,909 --> 00:11:54,570 Because now, our stories and ideas can be remembered forever.