Specialization+of+Labor+-+Mesopotamia

The Neolithic Revolution allowed people to specialize in certain professions to provide certain goods and services to their community rather than focus all of their attention on survival alone. Many people went into metal working. One important metal that was widely used was bronze. Not many people could afford bronze because of its rarity, but it was used for military weapons such as spears, swords, sheilds, and axes. After a while, bronze could be used in agriculture in knives and bronze tipped plows. Craftsmen also worked with iron. Iron was much cheaper than bronze so it was more practical to use. Many of the Assyrian conquerers used iron weapons. Another advancement that allowed for the development of certain professions was the wheel. From the invention of the wheel, people realized that the wheel could transport things more effectively than animals. Many people were needed to manufacture the wheel once it increased in usage. Shipbuilding was also an important trade in Mesopotamian society. Because Mesopotamia was involved with many trades routes, there was a need for ships to transport goods. The artifacts in this exibit display examples of products made in Mesopotamian during the River Valley Era.