Natural Syria - Part 3

In my previous Post I shed some light on the environment of Natural Syria, its richness in providing a Uniform sort of Challenges to the Human Kind. Following here below I shall address the Ethnic elements of the Syrian People who inhabited this Land, filling up the Blanks of Human Needs to set the foundation of the process of seeking perfection, a Norm that conforms to the Human Nature and confirms the purpose of Life.

The Nattufians:
Archeologists have discovered agricultural instruments for plantation and harvesting made of Volcanic Stones in addition to other type of instruments such as sharp edged stone knives that go back to 12,000 BC in Mount Carmel, and particularly in the Nattuf Valley (Western Syria), indicating that the early inhabitants of that part of the world had invented methods to cultivate the Land and settle in a their environment.
Those inhabitants were called the Nattufians by Archeologists in reference to the Area they conducted their lives in. (The Nattuf Valley). (1)
There is no evidence so far for any other Ethnic Group to have practiced Cultivation earlier than those Pioneers.
It is strongly believed that the Art of Agriculture was not limited to the process of simple backyard cultivation, Rather with the invention of Harvesting tools and instruments, the Art has advanced to invent more methods to meet Agricultural Requirements, such as preservation of seeds from deterioration and wide spread of the use of storage Areas dedicated for Crops and seeds.
In addition to the above, the introduction of Hunting and construction tools were also a strong evidence of the Early Syrian Ethnic Nature which could be concluded to be the dedication for better life, The ability to impose their will on their environment, and the potential of creativity.

Sumer:
History Begins at Sumer. (2)
Those Pioneers in the History of Civilization, inhabited the lower parts of the South Easter Syria, a Swampy Area which provided the greatest challenge for the early ethnicities, an environment that does not favor Agriculture if left to nature, But the Sumerians responded by introducing the super power of the Human Touch, Building Dams to protect the Landscapes from being flooded, turning Swamps into Green Fields, Introducing methods and techniques that secures better cultivation, feeding a whole Ethnic Group, providing for growth in Population as a result of food availability, improvising and achieving uniformity between Health and wealth, seeking and finding sciences that divide the Land amongst their people in adequate Geometrical Shapes, sorting out duties and responsibilities by the ability to use the Science of Algebra in calculating Areas, Quantities, Values and the Like, which all led to spread Justice in their early community.
Their Traces go back to more than 5000 BC.

The Akkadians:
A lot of Historians have disputed the Origins of the Akkadians, some say they have come from the North Eastern Parts of Syria, Others Claim they Migrated from the Arabian Desert due to the need for Fertile environments that Provide food, Yet, what concerns us here is not the Origin which could be anywhere, Rather, their impact on the course of History and Civilization, which could only happen when they inhabited The Northern Portion of the Sumerian Habitat, with no precise and defined Limits and Boundaries separating them from the Sumerians.
It is with no doubt, their interaction with a more advanced group of people (The Sumerians), had provided them with the potential of putting up their Finger Prints on the Pages of History, Thus exploring their ability to create their civilization shaped by their character, Which at a later stage had conquered the area imposing themselves on the stage of Early civilization.
The question here is: Where did the Sumerians go when the Akkadians conquered?
Nowhere, they melted in the newly developed ethnic Structure of the Land that is Known NATURAL SYRIA. And their Civilization became the foundation upon which every other following civilization was flavored by its ingredients.

My following Posts will introduce the Assyrians, The Amorites, The Canaanites, The Arameians, and the Nabatians.


(1) - D.Bates & D.Garrod, the Stone Age of Mount Carmel, Oxford 1937.
(2) – S.N. Kramer, History Begins at Sumer, Philadelphia 1981.