Human Ancestry

1. Read through the Hominidae: Species Overview.
http://www.archaeologyinfo.com/evolution.htm

Try to overcome the technical language and focus on how archaeologists and anthropologists distinguish individual species from each other. In the absence of written materials, what evidence do these scientists use as the basis for their theories? What kinds of physical details in the artifacts become crucial when making these distinctions?
2. Browse through the Hall of Skulls:
http://www.archaeologyinfo.com/skullpage.htm.

What are the physical changes that occur in the skulls as these hominids evolve?

Mesopotamia

http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/menu.html

In this site constructed by the British Museum, click on each subsection under Assyria, Babylonia, and Sumer. Each screen has an "EXPLORE" icon that allows you to examine some physical artifacts held by the museum, such as plans of an Assyrian palace and Sumerian royal tombs. As you investigate these remnants, consider what such physical evidence can reveal about a society. What have the creators of this site learned about Mesopotamian culture from these artifacts?
Now, go back under each subsection and click on "STORY." What sources has the site used to construct these narratives? Click on the "Gods, Goddesses, Demons and Monsters" icon. Read the story in this section. What roles can myths play in reconstructing ancient cultures? What concerns should historians and anthropologists have when using myths as evidence?

Code of Hammurabi

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/medieval/hamframe.htm

Examine the laws of Hammurabi's code. What kinds of actions and situations does this code cover? What, if any, elements of our modern legal systems do you see in this code? What parts of our modern systems are absent from this code? What does that tell us about the society for which these laws were written?
In your opinion, what are the fundamental principles of justice that underlie these laws? What does the code tell us about the needs and concerns of the societies emerging during this era? Why might historians consider this code one of the most important contributions of Mesopotamian culture?