Mesopotamian Sailboat

MESOPOTAMIAN SAILBOATS

Mesopotamian civilization was one of the first civilizations to flourish. They were the inventors of wheels, cuneiform, and sailboats. Sailboats were of utmost importance to them as transportation was essential to their culture. Read this article to learn more.

Five thousand years ago Mesopotamians started using sailing boats. Since Mesopotamia was situated between two famous rivers, namely the Euphrates and the Tigris, they needed water transportation for travel and trade. Some of the important items they are credited with inventing include wheels, chariots, sailboats and cuneiform. These are just some of the contributions by the Mesopotamians to the modern world. All this and more was around four to five thousand years ago.

A civilization flourishes based on its trade and commerce, and Mesopotamia was no exception. They wanted to set up trade relationships with nearby cities and countries. These were in the days before road routes were built making transportation of goods by land routes hectic and difficult. Therefore, they had to figure out an alternative mode of transportation for goods and people. This came in the form of water transportation, and thus the first boats were invented.

They were simple wooden boats that would carry people and goods downstream and then back upstream. But boats need people to navigate and guide them across rough waters, so the solution of having a vessel carries their goods and people had to be refined. Thus sailboats were invented. They were primitive in design, but the sailboats helped the Mesopotamians in trade and export.