Social Norms
The people of Ur relied heavily upon the Euphrates River. Evidence suggests that Ur had three classes of people. The top of the hierarchy were the richer, government officials, priests and soldiers. The second level was for merchants, teachers, laborers, farmers and craft-makers. The bottom level of the hierarchy was slaves captured in battle. Burials gave insight to how wealthy people were and where their social standing was. For example when the queen and king of Ur died the court soldiers, musicians, personal attendants, and courtiers voluntarily followed. They were also buried with treasure such as gold, marble, and lapis lazuli. They made their houses out of mud bricks; typical homes had an open central courtyard with two or more main living rooms and a domestic chapel with the family burial-vault.
The people of Ur use cuneiform writing and children go to school to learn how to write and do arithmetic.
The priests organized work groups of farmers to tend the land and provide crops for the community.