What was a common characteristic of the Amorites according to Sumerian accounts?

The Amorites, as described in Sumerian accounts, were typically characterized by their nomadic lifestyle, which included living in tents and wearing sheepskins. This depiction indicates their pastoral and semi-nomadic nature, which contrasts with the more urbanized and settled Sumerian civilization. The Sumerians viewed the Amorites as tribes who migrated and often engaged in herding, which required portable housing and practical clothing suited to their lifestyle. This aspect of their culture emphasized a connection to the pastoral traditions of the region, reflecting their economic activities and social structure during their interactions with settled populations.

Other characteristics associated with the Amorites, such as trade or monumental architecture, were less emphasized in Sumerian accounts and often attributed to later periods of their civilization when they became more established in urban areas. Moreover, the imagery of them dressed in fine silks or constructing large palaces aligns more closely with the achievements of Sumerian city-states rather than the Amorites’ early representation in Sumerian texts. This context highlights the correct identification of the Amorites as a group more aligned with pastoralism than urban sophistication at the time described in these ancient accounts.