TRANSPORTATION ON THE DICLE AND FIRAT RIVERS IN ANCIENT AGES

Abstract

While the Tigris and Euphrates rivers turned Mesopotamia into an agricultural paradise with the survival of people, it seems that living on these rivers with boats and rafts was no longer possible with the Chalcolithic Age. On these two rivers, which originate in Anatolia and flow into the Persian Gulf after merging, previously only the needed goods between Anatolia and Mesopotamia were transported from north to south. However, in later periods, trade began to be carried out through water connections to cities far from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Mesopotamia. These transportation activities, carried out with boats and rafts such as Mashoof, Isbiyah, Guffa, Kalaku, Coracle, Balams and Safinahs, turned into a major economic sector in Mesopotamia. The city of Hit, which constantly produced these vehicles for more cargo transportation and safer journeys, became an important industrial center of its time. Since the transportation services on the rivers, which became the locomotive of the Mesopotamian economy, turned into an activity that concerns almost everything, it can be seen that the periodical city authorities introduced some laws and rules for the more orderly and safe operation of these means of transportation.