Nippur

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/nippur

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Where is Nippur?Modern Nuffar, Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate, Iraq
2. How big is Nippur?Extensive archaeological site covering a large ancient urban area
3. What is the capital of Nippur?Served as a major religious and cultural capital for Sumer
4. What language do people speak in Nippur?Sumerian (primary liturgical and administrative language), Akkadian (spoken and later administrative)
5. When was Nippur built?Occupied from the Ubaid period (pre-5000 BCE) through later historical periods
6. What is Nippur known for?The primary cultic center of the god Enlil and the Ekur temple

Sumerian Pantheon: The collection of gods and goddesses worshipped by the ancient Sumerians.
Ekur: The great temple of the god Enlil in the city of Nippur.
Alluvial Plain: Flat land formed by the deposition of sediment carried by rivers, creating fertile soil.