Excavations in Iraq in the 1920s and '30s
二十世纪二十和三十年代在伊拉克的出土物
began to reveal how intensive irrigation of the planes
揭示了在底格里斯河和幼发拉底河之间的
between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates had allowed
平原上的集约灌溉是如何促使
the world's first true cities to arise.
世界上第一个真正城市群的崛起
By about 5,000 years ago,
到大约五千年前为止
cities with tens of thousands of inhabitants,
拥有成千上万的人口的城市
such as Ur and Uruk,
比如乌尔和乌鲁克
were producing art
产生了展现
that reflected the self-image of the powerful.
强者形象的艺术
Here is the Standard of Ur
这是乌尔军旗
where mosaic inlaid in bitumen
沥青上镶嵌的马赛克图案
showed the scenes that mattered most.
展现了当时最为重要的场景
Soldiers march,
士兵行军
war wagons roll,
战车前进
and on the reverse, a court convenes
在其背面 是一个宫廷聚会的场景
with the king depicted larger than his priests and courtiers,
国王的尺寸大于他的祭司和朝臣们
ranged below the catering classes, the toilers and hewers.
第二层是侍从阶级 最下面一层是苦工
It's a complete social world,
这是个完整的社会风貌
and it came with writing.
与之一起被发掘的 还有这些文字
These scripts usually recorded administrative matters,
这些文稿通常记录着行政事务
but sometimes told the stories of heroes
有些也讲述英雄事迹
and deities.
和神明故事