Ancient Mesopotamian Civilization:
Human Settlement and Urban
Planning
• Overview of the civilization and its urban
development.
Geography and Settlement
• • Fertile Crescent: Advantageous for
agriculture
• • Development along rivers
• • Key cities: Ur, Uruk, Babylon, Nineveh
Urban Planning and City Layout
• • Walled cities for defense
• • Central ziggurats as religious and
administrative centers
• • Grid-like street patterns
• • Division into residential, commercial, and
religious zones
Architecture and Building Materials
• • Mud-brick houses and monumental
structures
• • Ziggurats as temples and civic centers
• • Canals and roads facilitated movement
• • Courtyard houses for ventilation
Water Management and Irrigation
• • Canals and levees controlled river flooding
• • Irrigation systems supported agriculture
• • Wells and reservoirs ensured water supply
Social Structure and Residential
Patterns
• • Hierarchical society: Kings, priests,
merchants, artisans, farmers
• • Elite lived in large, well-planned homes
• • Commoners lived in clustered houses
Governance and Infrastructure
• • Code of Hammurabi: Early urban regulations
• • Organized city planning with centralized
governance
• • Roads, markets, and sanitation facilities
Trade and Economic Centers
• • Cities were trade hubs
• • Markets, caravan routes, and river trade
• • Specialization in crafts, pottery, and
metallurgy
Decline and Legacy
• • Environmental challenges: Deforestation,
soil salinization
• • Invasions and conflicts led to decline
• • Influence on later civilizations
Conclusion
• • Pioneers in urban planning and architecture
• • Contributions to governance, trade, and
society
• • Lasting impact on future urban development