Question

An archaeologist working at a Mesopotamian settlement found some writing on a clay tablet. When he translated the writing, he found that it contained information about a year when crops did not grow well, even though there was enough rainfall. Which possible reason for the decline of Mesopotamian civilizations would fit the situation described on the clay tablet?
a poor leadership
b over-irrigation
c war
d overburdened bureaucracy
e scarcity of non-food resources

Answer 1

The correct answer is B: Over-irrigation.

Explanation:

Irrigation refers to the process of artificial application of water to land with the intention of producing food. When a field have been irrigated for many years, the time comes when it does not meet the optimal conditions for food to grow well because of the mineral salts concentrated in the upper levels of the ground. For that reason, the writing on the clay tablet contained information about a year when crops did not grow well, even though there was enough rainfall. Despite the rainfall, the soil was unable to produce food correctly and that could be a reason why Mesopotamia decline.