Ancient civilizations vocabulary: 15 terms with definitions

The land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, mostly in today's Iraq, where some of the first cities grew.

The earliest known civilization of southern Mesopotamia, with city-states such as Ur and Uruk.

Wedge-shaped writing that the Sumerians pressed into clay tablets with a reed.

A tall, stepped temple tower built in the cities of Mesopotamia.

One of the two great rivers of Mesopotamia, flowing from Turkey through Iraq.

The longer of Mesopotamia's two rivers, flowing from Turkey through Syria and Iraq.

The river that flows north through Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea; its yearly flood left rich soil for farming.

A ruler of ancient Egypt, believed by the Egyptians to link the gods and the people.

A huge stone tomb with four triangular sides, built for an Egyptian pharaoh.

A body preserved by drying and wrapping in cloth, as the Egyptians did so the dead could live on in the afterlife.

The ancient Egyptian writing system, which used pictures and symbols for sounds and ideas.

A paper-like material made from reeds that grew along the Nile.

A person trained to read and write, who kept records for rulers and temples.

A line of rulers from the same family.

Many lands and peoples ruled by one government or ruler.