Ukin - Ukin

…
[Urban formation period]
In the next archaeological period, the Uruk period (3800-3000 BC?), the production of plain pottery and cylindrical seals made on a potter's wheel began, and in the final period (Uruk VIII-IV layers), a movement to form cities began in southern Sumer, with Uruk at the forefront, which reached an area of ​​about 100 hectares, several large temples were built (the largest was 80m long and 30m wide), bronze vessels were produced, and finally in the IV layer, a group of pictographs inscribed on clay tablets appeared. These included the title of ruler (En), the group of people (Unkin), characters indicating positions and types of crafts, symbolic names of gods, and characters for oxen, donkeys, sheep, goats, barley, dates, ploughs, and fish, along with numbers that suggest a complex number system. The first urban civilization, mainly composed of Sumerian-speaking people, emerged here with overwhelming energy.

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "Ukin" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…
［都市形成期］
　次の考古学的時期であるウルク期(前3800‐前3000ころ？)には轆轤（ろくろ）製の無文土器と円筒印章の製作が始まり，末期(ウルクVIII～IV層)にはウルクを先頭にシュメール南部に都市形成の動きがおこり，ウルクは面積約100haに達し，大神殿がいくつも造営され(最大は縦80m，横30m)，青銅器が製作され，IV層ではついに粘土板に刻まれた絵文字群が出現する。そこには支配者をさす称号〈エン〉，人々の集りをさす〈ウ(ン)キン〉，役職や手工業職種を示す文字，シンボルによる神名，牛･ロバ･羊･ヤギ･大麦･ナツメヤシ･犂（すき）･魚類を示す文字などが，複雑な数体系を暗示する数字とともに書かれていた。シュメール語を話す人々をおもな担い手とする最初の都市文明が，ここに圧倒的なエネルギーを伴って出現した。…

※「ウキン」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報