Jonathan's Jokes

* Time flies like an arrow and fruit flies like a banana.

*Guess what the wheel said to the truck? ....I'm tired.

*How do you know the toothbrush was invented in Myers Flat?....because anywhere else they would have called it the teethbrush.

*  KNOCK KNOCK....Who's there?...Owls....Owls who?...That's right owls who.
KNOCK KNOCK....Who's there now?....Owls who....Owls who who?, weren't you just here?  You are not funny any more!  Go away and leave me alone....Who?who?...Leave me alone, that's who!

WhY??????

Why did the ancient Sumerians invent writing???  If they hadn't, I wouldn't have to write  these blasted reports!!!  Ha Ha Ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cuneiform in Ancient Sumer

Introduction:

Ancient Sumer was the first true civilization. The ancient Sumerians lived in the Middle East, between the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers. This was in ancient Mesopotamia. The Sumerians invented many great things such as the wheel, math, and pottery. They also had the first kings. The most interesting thing about Ancient Sumer is that they invented writing. Ancient Sumerians created writing, figured out what to write with, and wrote about many different things.

Ancient Sumerians Invented Writing:

The ancient Sumerians created writing about 7,000 years ago. Their earliest writing was pictures that meant words. These pictograms were used for recording taxes and trading. The pictograms were difficult to draw and took a long time, so the Sumerians made symbols. They were wedge shaped symbols. This first language was named cuneiform. Only the sons were taught cuneiform. They learned reading, writing, and arithmetic at a school called an edubba.

Ancient Sumerian Writing Materials:

Ancient Sumerians needed tools to write with. The one tool that they used is called a stylus. A stylus is a wedge-shaped tool that is made from a reed. These reeds grow on rivers such as the Tigris and Euphrates. The Sumerians used clay tablets to write on. When they pushed a stylus into a clay tablet, they made a wedge-shaped mark. Cuneiform means wedge-shaped. The ancient Sumerians also used cylinder seals. Cylinder seals were a carved piece of stone that is a signature. Sumerians rolled the cylinder seal across the wet clay tablet and it left an imprint. Then they would dry it in the sun or bake it in a kiln. This would make the writing last.

Ancient Sumerian Writing Topics:

The ancient Sumerians kept excellent records and lists of things. They listed the stuff in their houses, what they did, what they bought, and the taxes they paid. They even kept lists of their kings. They also wrote poems and stories. The first story of a super hero was written by the Sumerians. This story was called The Epic of Gilgamesh. It's probably the first story ever written. This may not have been a totally made up story, because Gilgamesh was the king of Uruk. However even a king couldn't cross the Sea of Death, meet the Sun, or fly on a griffin. But I think it is a good story.

Conclusion:

Writing was a big piece of Sumerian culture. It's amazing that the Sumerians created writing, figured out writing materials, and wrote about many topics. The written record of Sumer was one of the greatest archeologist finds ever. It's cool that they wrote on clay tablets so we could find them.

Sources:

KidSumer.com

WikipediaJr.com

The Journey of Gilgamesh

 

Gilgamesh  found himself on a beach with skulls and bones.  He sought immortality for the people of his kingdom and himself, too.    

Gilgamesh's girlfriend appeared to him as a bird and said, "The Sun God can help you."  Then he saw the Sun God fade into the mountain, so he climbed and climbed. He fought beasts and rescued a lion cub from two scorpions. The scorpions where impressed by how he stood up to them, so they told him where the Sun God was.  He went through the tunnel filled with monsters.  Then he found the Sun God's garden.

"I seek immortality," said Gilgamesh.  

"There's only one  man who has immortality, and that is Utnapishtin," said the Sun God.  Gilgamesh set off into the desert.   He had lost all hope, until he saw  a great palace covered with vines.  Gilgamesh was determined to finish his quest.   He knocked on the door.  The door opened. He saw a beautiful woman who served wine to the gods .

"I have come for Utnapishtin," he said.

"He's not here. You have to cross the Sea of Death if you want to see him," said the lady, and it destroys every oar it touches." So Gilgamesh got a bunch of logs and made a boat and got 120 oars and started across the Death Sea.

He rowed and rowed, but when he broke all of the oars, he was so close that he wasn't giving up yet. He made his shirt into a sail.

When he saw Utnapishtim, he told him how long of a journey it took him to get there.  Utnapishtim told him to stay six days and seven nights while listening to a story that made him immortal.  While Utnapishtim told the story, Gilgamesh fell asleep.  He failed the test.

When he woke up, he begged Utnapishtim for a second chance.

Utnapishtim told Gilgamesh, "See that light. There is a flower there.  That flower will make you young until you die."  So Gilgamesh dove into the Sea of Death and got the flower.

Then he started back to his kingdom.  On the way, he stopped for a quick nap.  Then Ishtar, a serpent ate the flower because she hated Gilgamesh.  He awoke in horror, "Ishtar, you have killed my friends and now you have killed hope."

His friend Enkidu came flying down.  Gilgamesh climbed on her back and so did the lion cub.  He came upon his city.  He knew how beautiful it was and was amazed at his own city!  There was his immortality.