Dear David,

Talking about tablets and Sumer.

One of the greatest sources of information on ancient
Mesopotamia is the so called "King's List", a clay
tablet that documents the names of the ancient rulers
of Sumer as well as the lengths of their reigns.

The list is a strange blend of historical fact and myth -
on early king is said to have lived for 43,200 years - but
it also included Sumer's lone female monarch in the
form of Kubaba, a "woman tavern keeper" who supposedly
took the throne in the city-state of Kish sometime
around 2500 B.C.

Very little is known about Kubaba's reign or how she came
to power, but the list credits her with making -
"firm the foundations of Kish" and forging a dynasty that
lasted 100 years.

There's more at the following link:

http://www.history.com/news/9-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-ancient-sumerians

Dear Foxy,

Thanks for the reference to Sumer.

In regards to their beer making I read that the oldest archeological evidence of organized warfare is apparently an attack to take beer by raiding a settlement and killing the brewers.

Re their preference for lapis lazuli my Uncle Harry who lived in Arizona mentioned that they also in that area of the Middle East made jewelry of turquoise and silver. When the horse was domesticated they adorned horses with bridles decorated with turquoise and silver. When that area was conquered by the Arabs the Arabs adorned their horses in a similar matter and took it with them when they invaded Spain. When the Christians reconquered Spain they picked up the Arab or Moorish styles. The Spanish brought the style to what is now the southwest of the United States along with the horse. The American Indians got the horse and the turquoise ornamentation from the Spaniards, and they make, use and sell those items in Arizona.

It was interesting that the ancient Sumerians had a female ruler, and the USA is not there yet.

In regard to me writing a book on my life I thought of my interesting life and Flaubert. Emma Bovary was a stupid woman who had a sordid affair. However, Flaubert was a great writer, and “Madame Bovary” is a great book. I have led an interesting life but am not a great writer. If I wrote a book on my life the book would probably be no more interesting than Madame Bovary’s biography written by Madame Bovary.

Dear David,

I love reading your posts here on the forum.
You're unique way of viewing things broaden
our conversations. And you write in a way
that holds my interest - so I can
imagine that the story of your life would be
an interesting one. Plus you have a wicked sense
of humour which I love. Please don't under-estimate
yourself or the fact the people would not want to read
what you write. Wrong on both counts as far as I'm
concerned.

And look at what you've done just recently. You've
aroused my interest in "The Sumerians". A subject
that I'd long laid to rest.

Hi David,

I threatened my mum that I wouldn't come and see her again until she started audio-taping her memoirs. She never did, but I buckled, of course. Then I found out that she had lived for more than a year with the son of a prime minister. And that her dad served under Banjo Paterson. They had words, it seems.

But have you thought of doing that ? I'm sure you would have met some amazing people - our lives cross paths with the most unexpected people. I met Igor Oistrakh once. And Kath Walker. I gave Helen Hughes a big hug the last time I saw her. And many others, like most people do, I'm sure. We go to school and study with, or live near, people who make major contributions, or become famous, much later.

You can always embargo any memoirs until a suitably later date :)

Joe

It's great the Sumerian civilisation and many since learned important lessons, made rules, developed and achieved. But, I suppose like many others, disappeared - not that 'disappearing' is great, just that it seems the natural evolution, to be conquered, absorbed or scattered.

So many competent, developing, progressive 'cultures' we can thank for advancements in science, medicine, literature, mathematics, physics, chemistry, astronomy, philosophy, ethics, government, democracy, legislature, jurisprudence, courts, prisons, armaments and warfare - for peace and security or conquest and expansion.

I wonder why these earlier civilisations died?

From the little I know of history some got too big and overly exploited local resources and food supply, or became a target for less-developed warlike hordes, or became complacent and collapsed, or perhaps suffered devastating epidemics (as many peoples suffered when visited by outsiders carrying unfamiliar scourges).

However, one component of downfall seems perhaps to be endemic, and that is unfettered population growth placing unmanageable stress on resources - resulting in depletion or destruction.

In our age similar stresses are evident, but of even greater magnitude, and with the concurrent problem of climate change - most probably induced by excessive industrial development dependent on fossil fuel energy - and with other forms of global decay, pollution and environmental degradation.

Runner would have us believe our Australian system of public health, welfare, education, government, public service and social services is generally defective, corrupt, unreliable and not good enough.

I wonder what system might work effectively in Australia if welfare was restricted to only those who cannot work and kin who care for them, and otherwise only for a limited time for those seeking work.

Are we bordering on a socialist system as regards welfare - but one where so many are able to simply choose not to work?

What might our current pandemic look like without welfare and without the extra handouts - which still don't apply to many visa holders, students, casuals and self-employed.

Oz - too 'easy'? Not easy enough?

Saltpetre,

Re early Mesopotamian civilizations like Sumerian you ask "I wonder why these earlier civilisations died?'.

They collapsed because they overexploited their environment turning the fertile irrigated farming land they had developed into a dust bowl (which it still is today as a consequence of that overexploitation.)

What happened? The water in the extensive canalised irrigation systems (drawn from the Tigris-Euphrates) serving the city-states kept evaporating drawing salt to the surface until the land became so salinated that it was useless for agriculture. And the city-state civilizations of Mesopotamia that were so heavily dependent on agriculture could no longer be sustained.

Australia is headed down the same path with its irrigated farmlands eg Murray-Darling Basin. Large tracts of irrigated land have be given over to growing Chinese cotton and when the land becomes ruined by salinization and no use for agriculture the Chinese will pack up and move their cotton growing operations somewhere else: Environmental degradation is one of China's biggest exports.

When I say Chinese cotton I mean Chinese cotton. The Chinese actually own the cotton being grown but are using massive quantities of cheap Australian water to grow their cotton (1600 kg of water needed for each kg of cotton produced.) The cotton is sent to China where it is turned into clothing which is sold back to Australia at a huge profit. You might say that China is destroying the M-D Basin. FOULmouth, Foxy, david f, Phil, and others in the pro-China camp, don't want you knowing about this because it might cause un-multiculturalism.