---
title: Sumerians: Inventors of Civilization
author: Joshua J. Mark
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/Sumerians/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 2026-01-28
---
# Sumerians: Inventors of Civilization
_Authored by [Joshua J. Mark](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/JPryst/)_
The Sumerians were the people of southern [Mesopotamia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mesopotamia/) (modern-day southern Iraq) whose [civilization](https://www.worldhistory.org/civilization/) flourished between circa 4000 and 1750 BCE. Their name comes from the region, which is frequently – and incorrectly – referred to as a "country." However, [Sumer](https://www.worldhistory.org/sumer/) was never a cohesive political entity, but a region of [city](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/)-states, each with its own king.
The semimythical [Sumerian King List](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sumerian_King_List/) (composed circa 2112 to circa 2004 BCE) claims that, when kingship was established on earth by the gods, it descended from heaven to the city of [Eridu](https://www.worldhistory.org/eridu/), linking the concepts of [law](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/law/) and order with that of the city, a paradigm that would continue throughout Sumerian civilization.
Sumer was the southern counterpart to the northern region of [Akkad](https://www.worldhistory.org/akkad/), whose people gave Sumer its name, meaning "land of the civilized kings." The Sumerians themselves referred to their region simply as "the land" or "the land of the black-headed people."
The Sumerians were responsible for many of the most important innovations, inventions, and concepts taken for granted in the present day. They essentially "invented" time by dividing day and night into 12-hour periods, [hours](https://www.worldhistory.org/Horae/) into 60 minutes, and minutes into 60 seconds. Their other innovations and inventions include the first [cities](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/), [writing](https://www.worldhistory.org/writing/), schools, the earliest version of the tale of the Great Flood and other biblical narratives, the oldest heroic epic, governmental bureaucracy, monumental [architecture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/architecture/), and irrigation techniques. They were the first to conceive of so many "firsts" that they can rightly be called the "Inventors of Civilization."
After the rise of the Amorites in Mesopotamia, and the invasion of the [Gutians](https://www.worldhistory.org/Gutians/) and then the Elamites, Sumer ceased to exist and was only known through references in the works of ancient writers, including the scribes who wrote the biblical [book of Genesis](https://www.worldhistory.org/Book_of_Genesis/). Sumer remained unknown until the mid-19th century, when excavations in Mesopotamia unearthed their civilization and brought their many contributions to light.
### Development & 39 Firsts
Throughout the 19th century, European archaeologists descended on the [Near East](https://www.worldhistory.org/Near_East/) in search of ancient cities, tombs, and artifacts. None of these went to Mesopotamia to look for Sumerian cities because no one knew the civilization had ever existed – they were looking to excavate sites mentioned in the [Bible](https://www.worldhistory.org/bible/), such as [Babylon](https://www.worldhistory.org/babylon/), [Nineveh](https://www.worldhistory.org/nineveh/), and a mysterious place called Shinar – but they found much more than they were expecting.
[  Map of the Sumerian Civilization Simeon Netchev (CC BY-NC-ND) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/15299/map-of-the-sumerian-civilization/ "Map of the Sumerian Civilization")No one knows where the Sumerians came from, but by circa 2900 BCE, they were firmly established in southern Mesopotamia. The history of this region is divided by modern scholars into six eras:
- Ubaid period – circa 6500-4000 BCE
- [Uruk](https://www.worldhistory.org/uruk/) period – circa 4000-3100 BCE
- [Early Dynastic](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Early_Dynastic/) period - circa 2900 to circa 2350/2334 BCE
- [Akkadian](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/akkadian/) period – 2350/2334-2154 BCE
- [Gutian](https://www.worldhistory.org/Gutians/) period – circa 2141-2050 BCE
- [Ur](https://www.worldhistory.org/ur/) III period (also known as the Sumerian Renaissance) – circa 2112-2004 BCE
The origins of the people of the Ubaid period are unknown – as is their [culture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/culture/) - but they left behind some intriguing artifacts and probably founded the first communities which grew into the later cities and developed into city-states during the Uruk period. The Early Dynastic period saw the rise of the kings, the establishment of government and bureaucracy, and conflict between Sumerian city-states for land and water rights. The Sumerian cities were periodically united under a single king, as in the case of Enembaragesi of Kish, who led Sumer against [Elam](https://www.worldhistory.org/elam/) in the first recorded [war](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/War/) in history, circa 2700 BCE. The Sumerians were victorious and sacked the cities of Elam.
The later king Eannatum would reconquer parts of Elam circa 2500 BCE, and Lugalzagesi would do the same circa 2330 BCE, but these kings could never fully control the Sumerian city-states. Sumer was finally conquered by [Sargon of Akkad](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sargon_of_Akkad/) (reign 2334-2279 BCE), who made it the core of his multinational [empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/empire/). He maintained control of the region by placing trusted officials in powerful positions in each city – including his daughter, [Enheduanna](https://www.worldhistory.org/Enheduanna/) (circa 2300 BCE), the high priestess of the goddess [Inanna](https://www.worldhistory.org/Inanna/) at Ur (famous in her own right as the world's first author known by name).
The [Akkadian Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/akkad/) held the region until the invasion of the Gutians, who ruled until they were driven out by [Ur-Nammu](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ur-Nammu/) (reign circa 2112 to circa 2094 BCE) and his son [Shulgi of Ur](https://www.worldhistory.org/Shulgi_of_Ur/) (reign circa 2094 to circa 2046 BCE), who were responsible for the so-called Sumerian Renaissance, which saw a rebirth of Sumerian culture following the Akkadian and Gutian conquests.
[  Map of the Akkadian Empire at Its Height Simeon Netchev (CC BY-NC-ND) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/15457/map-of-the-akkadian-empire-at-its-height/ "Map of the Akkadian Empire at Its Height")Sumerian cities, before and after the conquests, grew rich from [trade](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/trade/). The relative stability of the cities encouraged cultural growth, innovation, and invention. Scholar [Samuel](https://www.worldhistory.org/samuel/) [Noah](https://www.worldhistory.org/Noah/) Kramer, in his iconic work *History Begins at Sumer*, explores 39 "firsts" in the world which originated with the Sumerians:
> 1. The First Schools
> 2. The First Case of 'Apple Polishing'
> 3. The First Case of Juvenile Delinquency
> 4. The First 'War of Nerves'
> 5. The First Bicameral Congress
> 6. The First Historian
> 7. The First Case of Tax Reduction
> 8. The First '[Moses](https://www.worldhistory.org/Moses/)'
> 9. The First Legal Precedent
> 10. The First Pharmacopoeia
> 11. The First 'Farmer's Almanac'
> 12. The First Experiment in Shade-Tree Gardening
> 13. Man's First Cosmogony and Cosmology
> 14. The First Moral Ideals
> 15. The First 'Job'
> 16. The First Proverbs and Sayings
> 17. The First Animal Fables
> 18. The First Literary Debates
> 19. The First Biblical Parallels
> 20. The First 'Noah'
> 21. The First Tale of Resurrection
> 22. The First 'St. George'
> 23. The First Case of Literary Borrowing
> 24. Man's First Heroic Age
> 25. The First Love Song
> 26. The First Library Catalogue
> 27. Man's First Golden Age
> 28. The First 'Sick' Society
> 29. The First Liturgic Laments
> 30. The First Messiahs
> 31. The First Long-Distance Champion
> 32. The First Literary Imagery
> 33. The First Sex Symbolism
> 34. The First Mater Dolorosa
> 35. The First Lullaby
> 36. The First Literary Portrait
> 37. The First Elegies
> 38. Labor's First Victory
> 39. The First Aquarium
The Sumerians also invented the concept of the city, and one of the claimants to the title of "oldest city in the world" is the Sumerian Uruk. The earliest cities established in Sumer were:
- Eridu
- Uruk
- Ur
- Larsa
- Isin
- Adab
- Kullah
- [Nippur](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/nippur/)
- Kish
The heart of the city was the [temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/) complex, marked by the great ziggurats, which would inspire the later tale of the biblical Tower of [Babel](https://www.worldhistory.org/babylon/). Each city had its own protective deity who lived in the temple, protecting and guiding the citizens, but, for the Sumerians, the city of Eridu – and its [god](https://www.worldhistory.org/God/) [Enki](https://www.worldhistory.org/Enki/) – held a special place.
[  Sumerian Votive Plaque Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin (Copyright) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/2263/sumerian-votive-plaque/ "Sumerian Votive Plaque")### The First City
Although modern-day [archaeology](https://www.worldhistory.org/Archaeology/) has established that Uruk is the oldest city in Mesopotamia, the Sumerians themselves believed the first city in the world was Eridu, presided over by their god of wisdom and water, Enki, who raised it from the watery marshes and established the concept of kingship and order in the land. The establishment of Eridu by Enki was seen as a kind of golden age comparable to the biblical [Garden of Eden](https://www.worldhistory.org/Garden_of_Eden/) as the home of the gods and birthplace of the rules governing civilization (known as the *meh*). Scholar Gwendolyn Leick notes:
> The Mesopotamian Eden is not a garden but a city, formed from a piece of dry land surrounded by the waters. The first building is a temple…This is how Mesopotamian tradition presented the evolution and function of cities, and Eridu provides the mythical paradigm. Contrary to the biblical Eden, from which man was banished forever after the Fall, Eridu remained a real place, imbued with sacredness but always accessible.
> (2)
The "fall" of Eridu had nothing to do with humanity's sins, but with the cleverness of one of the most popular [Mesopotamian goddesses](https://www.worldhistory.org/collection/195/mesopotamian-goddesses/), Inanna. In the poem *Inanna and the God of Wisdom*, the goddess travels from her city of Uruk to Eridu, home of her father Enki, and invites him to sit and have a few drinks with her. As he drinks and becomes more and more jovial, he gladly hands over the *meh* to his daughter. Once she has gathered them all, she runs to her ship and brings them to Uruk, thus making her city preeminent and diminishing Eridu. Modern-day scholars believe this myth arose in response to the shift from an agrarian culture (symbolized by Eridu) to the urban development epitomized by Uruk, among the most powerful cities in the region.
[  Facade of Inanna's Temple at Uruk Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin (Copyright) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/2958/facade-of-inannas-temple-at-uruk/ "Facade of Inanna's Temple at Uruk")### Government
[Religion](https://www.worldhistory.org/religion/) was fully integrated into people's lives and informed the government and the social structure. The Sumerians believed that the gods had formed order out of chaos, and the individual's role in life was to labor as a co-worker with the gods to make sure chaos would not come again. The gods themselves, however, would reverse their own work later – returning the world to chaos – when humanity's noise and trouble became too great to bear.
The Sumerian work known as the *Eridu Genesis* (composed circa 2300 BCE and found in the ruins of Eridu) is the earliest version of the Great Flood tale later retold in the *Atrahasis*, *The Epic of [Gilgamesh](https://www.worldhistory.org/gilgamesh/)*, and the book of Genesis. It relates how the gods destroyed humanity through a flood, except for one man, Ziusudra, who is saved when Enki tells him to build an ark and rescue two of every kind of animal. Afterwards, the gods relent and determine to control the human population, and limit their annoying tendencies, by introducing [death](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Death/) and disease into the world; thereby re-establishing order and setting a limit to human life and ambition.
The gods expected human beings to use their lives to help maintain order, and this included finding a way to work together. The Sumerians took great pride in their individuality, as evidenced by the elevation of the patron deities of each city and intermittent rivalry and conflicts, but were required by the gods to set this aside in the interests of the common good. Kramer writes:
> While the Sumerians set a high value on the individual and his achievement, there was one overriding factor which fostered a strong spirit of cooperation among individuals and communities alike: the complete dependence of Sumer on irrigation for its well-being – indeed, for its very existence. Irrigation is a complicated process requiring communal effort and organization. Canals had to be dug and kept in constant repair. The water had to be divided equitably among all concerned. To ensure this, a power stronger than the individual landowner or even the single community was mandatory: hence, the growth of governmental institutions and the rise of the Sumerian state.
> (*Sumerians*, 5)
The Sumerian King List gives all of the kings, going back to the beginning of the world when the gods first established kingship in Eridu. The first king who is archaeologically attested was Etana, described as "he who stabilized all the lands" (*Sumerians*, 43) and the hero of the poem *The [Myth of Etana](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/224/the-myth-of-etana/)*. The list then goes chronologically – often with impossibly long dates for the monarchs – down to the reign of the kings through circa 2100 BCE.
[  Legend of the Hero Etana Inscription Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin (Copyright) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/3127/legend-of-the-hero-etana-inscription/ "Legend of the Hero Etana Inscription")The Sumerian [city-state](https://www.worldhistory.org/Polis/) was governed by a king, the *lugal* (literally "big man"), who oversaw the cultivation of the land, among many other responsibilities, and was bound to the gods to ensure their will was done on earth. The *lugal* was initially head of a "household" – a closely-knit community that pooled their resources – and the household concept would continue as the underlying power structure of the cities.
With the rise of the cities and the development of agricultural innovations, the Sumerians changed the way human beings had lived, and would live, forever. The scholar [Paul](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Paul/) Kriwaczek comments:
> This was a revolutionary moment in human history. The \[Sumerians\] were consciously aiming at nothing less than changing the world. They were the very first to adopt the principle that has driven progress and advancement throughout history, and still motivates most of us in the modern times: the conviction that it is humanity's right, its mission and its destiny, to transform and improve on nature and become her master.
> (20)
### Contributions & Collapse
The cities of the Sumerians expanded, and when they needed more room and greater resources, they took them from others. During the Uruk period, the culture developed rapidly, with perhaps the greatest invention culminating in the advent of writing circa 3600-3500 BCE and its refinement circa 3200 BCE. Early writing developed in response to the need for long-distance communication in trade and relayed basic information such as "two sheep – five goats – Kish" which was clear enough to the sender at the time but lacked the ability to inform a recipient whether the two sheep and five goats were coming or going from the city of Kish, whether they were alive or dead, and what their purpose was. This early attempt at written communication would eventually develop into the writing system that would produce such works as *The Epic of Gilgamesh*, Enheduanna's hymns to Inanna, and many other great works of [literature](https://www.worldhistory.org/literature/).
[  Flood Tablet of the Epic of Gilgamesh Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin (Copyright) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4821/flood-tablet-of-the-epic-of-gilgamesh/ "Flood Tablet of the Epic of Gilgamesh")Sumerian became the *lingua franca* of Mesopotamia and established the writing system known as [cuneiform](https://www.worldhistory.org/cuneiform/), which would later be used to record other languages. Gwendolyn Leick comments:
> The more homogeneous cultural horizon of the alluvial plains \[of Sumer\] finds expression in the development of writing in a particular idiom. Why Sumerian came to be the language represented by writing is still uncertain. Mesopotamia was never linguistically or ethnically homogeneous and the personal names in the early texts clearly show that languages other than Sumerian were spoken at the time.
> (65)
Sumerian was well established as the written language by the Early Dynastic Period, and Sumerian culture, religion, architecture, and other significant aspects of civilization were as well. The literature of the Sumerians would influence later writers, notably the scribes who wrote the Bible, as their tales of the *[Myth of Adapa](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/216/the-myth-of-adapa/)*, the *Eridu Genesis*, and the *Atrahasis* would inform the later biblical accounts of the Garden of Eden, Fall of Man, and the Great Flood. Enheduanna's works would become the models for later liturgy, Mesopotamian animal fables would be popularized by Aesop, and the *Epic of Gilgamesh* would inspire works such as the *[Iliad](https://www.worldhistory.org/iliad/)* and *[Odyssey](https://www.worldhistory.org/Odyssey/)*.
The concept of the gods living in the city's temple, as well as the shape and size of the Sumerian [ziggurat](https://www.worldhistory.org/ziggurat/), is thought to have influenced the [Egyptian](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Egyptian/) development of the [pyramid](https://www.worldhistory.org/pyramid/) and their beliefs about their own gods. The Sumerian concept of time, as well as their writing system, was also adopted by other civilizations. The Sumerian [cylinder seal](https://www.worldhistory.org/Cylinder_Seal/) – an individual's sign of personal identification – remained in use in Mesopotamia until circa 612 BCE and the fall of the Assyrian Empire. There was literally no area of civilization the Sumerians did not make some contribution to, but, for all their strengths, their culture began to decline long before it fell.
[  The Ziggurat at Kish Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin (Copyright) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9262/the-ziggurat-at-kish/ "The Ziggurat at Kish")The Sumerian civilization collapsed circa 1750 BCE with the invasion of the region by the Elamites. Shulgi of Ur had erected a great [wall](https://www.worldhistory.org/wall/) in 2083 BCE to protect his people from just such an invasion, but as it was not anchored at either end, it could easily be walked around – which is precisely what the invading Amorites did. Even so, the culture had been struggling to retain its autonomy ever since the Amorites had gained power in Babylon.
A shift in cultural influence – evidenced in many respects but, notably, in the male-female ratio of the [Mesopotamian pantheon](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/221/the-mesopotamian-pantheon/) – came with the rise to power of the Semitic Amorites in Babylon and, especially, during the reign of [Hammurabi](https://www.worldhistory.org/hammurabi/) (1792-1750 BCE), who completely reversed the Sumerian theological model in elevating a supreme male god, [Marduk](https://www.worldhistory.org/Marduk/), over all others. Temples dedicated to goddesses were replaced by those for gods, and, even though the goddesses' temples were not destroyed, they were marginalized.
At this same time, [women](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/women/)'s rights – which were traditionally on par with men's – declined, as did the great Sumerian cities. Overuse of the land and urban expansion, coupled with climate change and ongoing conflicts, are cited as the primary reasons for the fall of the cities. The correlation between the decline in the status of female deities and women's rights has never been adequately explained – it is unknown which came first – but it is a telling detail in the decline of a culture which had always held women in high regard. By the time the Elamites invaded circa 1750 BCE, the Sumerian culture was already deteriorating, and the Elamites simply finished the process.
### Discovery
The Sumerians are recognized today for numerous contributions to world culture, but this is a fairly recent development. Their history lay buried under the sands for centuries, and so any references to them in ancient works were misunderstood by scholars since there was no known referent for the allusions. The land of Shinar, in the biblical book of Genesis, for example, was understood to allude to some region of Mesopotamia, but the significance of that reference could not be understood as long as scholars had no idea any place like the land of Sumer – the biblical Shinar – had ever existed.
This situation changed dramatically in the mid-19th century when Western institutions and societies began sending expeditions to the Near East in search of physical evidence to corroborate biblical narratives. If a land such as Shinar had ever existed, it was reasoned, its ruins – along with those of any other structures and cities mentioned in the Bible – could be discovered.
At this time, the Bible was considered the oldest book in the world and completely original. The story of the Garden of Eden, the Fall of Man, and the Great Flood were thought to be original works written directly, or inspired by, the one true God of the Judeo-Christian tradition. The archaeologists and scholars who were sent on these expeditions were supposed to find hard evidence to support this claim, but instead they found something wholly unexpected: the Sumerian civilization.
#### Editorial Review
This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).
## Bibliography
- [Bertman, S. *Handbook to Life in Ancient Mesopotamia.* Oxford University Press, 2005.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0195183649/)
- [Black, J. , et. al. *The Literature of Ancient Sumer.* Oxford University Press, 2006.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0199296332/)
- [Bottéro, J. *Everyday Life in Ancient Mesopotamia.* Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0801868645/)
- [Jacobsen, T. *The Treasures of Darkness.* Yale University Press, 1978.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0300022913/)
- [Kramer, S. N. *History Begins at Sumer.* University of Pennsylvania Press, 1988.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0812212762/)
- [Kramer, S. N. *The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character.* University of Chicago Press, 1971.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0226452387/)
- [Kriwaczek, P. *Babylon: Mesopotamia and the Birth of Civilization.* St. Martin's Griffin, 2012.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/1250054168/)
- [Leick, G. *Mesopotamia: The Invention of the City.* Penguin Books, 2003.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0140265740/)
- [Van De Mieroop, M. *A History of the Ancient Near East ca. 3000 - 323 BC, 2nd Edition.* Blackwell Publishing, 2006.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/1405149116/)
- [Von Soden, W. *The Ancient Orient: An Introduction to the Study of the Ancient Near East.* Eerdmans Pub Co, 1994.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0852442521/)
## About the Author
Joshua J. Mark is World History Encyclopedia's co-founder and Content Director. He was previously a professor at Marist College (NY) where he taught history, philosophy, literature, and writing. He has traveled extensively and lived in Greece and Germany.
- [Linkedin Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/pub/joshua-j-mark/38/614/339)
## Timeline
- **c. 6500 BCE - 4000 BCE**: The Ubaid period in [Sumer](https://www.worldhistory.org/sumer/).
- **c. 5400 BCE**: The [city](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/) of [Eridu](https://www.worldhistory.org/eridu/) is founded.
- **c. 5000 BCE**: Evidence of [burial](https://www.worldhistory.org/burial/) in [Sumer](https://www.worldhistory.org/sumer/).
- **c. 5000 BCE - c. 4500 BCE**: The [city](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/) of [Uruk](https://www.worldhistory.org/uruk/) founded.
- **c. 4500 BCE**: The [Sumerians](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sumerians/) built their first [temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/).
- **4000 BCE - 3100 BCE**: [Uruk](https://www.worldhistory.org/uruk/) period in [Mesopotamia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mesopotamia/). First [cities](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/).
- **c. 4000 BCE - c. 1750 BCE**: [Sumerian](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sumerians/) [civilization](https://www.worldhistory.org/civilization/) in the Tigris-Euphrates valley.
- **c. 3600 BCE**: Invention of [writing](https://www.worldhistory.org/writing/) in [Sumer](https://www.worldhistory.org/sumer/) at [Uruk](https://www.worldhistory.org/uruk/).
- **c. 3200 BCE**: First instance of written language in [Sumerian](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sumerians/).
- **c. 2900 BCE - c. 2334 BCE**: The [Early Dynastic](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Early_Dynastic/) period in [Sumer](https://www.worldhistory.org/sumer/).
- **c. 2500 BCE**: Beginning of [literature](https://www.worldhistory.org/literature/) in [Sumerian](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sumerians/).
- **2350 BCE**: First code of laws by Urukagina, king of Lagash.
- **c. 2150 BCE - c. 1400 BCE**: The tales of [Gilgamesh](https://www.worldhistory.org/gilgamesh/) written which inform the Epic of Gilgamesh.
- **c. 2112 BCE - c. 2004 BCE**: The [Ur](https://www.worldhistory.org/ur/) III period in [Sumer](https://www.worldhistory.org/sumer/), known as the [Sumerian](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sumerians/) Renaissance.
- **c. 1772 BCE**: The [Code of Hammurabi](https://www.worldhistory.org/Code_of_Hammurabi/): One of the earliest codes of [law](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/law/) in the world.
- **1750 BCE**: [Elamite](https://www.worldhistory.org/elam/) invasion and [Amorite](https://www.worldhistory.org/amorite/) migration ends the [Sumerian](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sumerians/) [civilization](https://www.worldhistory.org/civilization/).
## Questions & Answers
### Who were the Sumerians?
The Sumerians were the people of ancient Sumer (modern-day southern Iraq) whose civilization flourished between circa 4000 and 1750 BCE. The Sumerians invented the concept of the city, writing, schools, irrigation techniques, and many other aspects of civilization taken for granted today.
### Where was ancient Sumer located?
Ancient Sumer was located in Southern Mesopotamia (modern-day southern Iraq).
### When was ancient Sumer discovered?
Ancient Sumer was discovered in the mid-19th century by archaeologists sent to the Near East to find physical evidence to support the historicity of the narratives of the biblical Old Testament. Prior to this time, no one knew Sumer had ever existed.
### What are the Sumerians famous for?
The Sumerians are famous for many cultural "firsts," including the first cities, writing, irrigation techniques, schools, written laws, government, beer, and epic literature, among many others. They invented so many "firsts" that they can be considered the Inventors of Civilization.
## External Links
- [List of Rulers of Mesopotamia | Lists of Rulers | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art](https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/meru/hd_meru.htm)
- [Ancient Near East – Sumerian](https://smarthistory.org/ancient-mediterranean/ancient-near-east/sumerian/)
- [Kish Tablet is the Oldest Written Text Dating Back to c. 3500 BCE](https://mymodernmet.com/the-kish-tablet/)
## Cite This Work
### APA
Mark, J. J. (2026, January 28). Sumerians: Inventors of Civilization. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Mark, Joshua J.. "Sumerians: Inventors of Civilization." *World History Encyclopedia*, January 28, 2026. .
### MLA
Mark, Joshua J.. "Sumerians: Inventors of Civilization." *World History Encyclopedia*, 28 Jan 2026, .
## License & Copyright
Submitted by [Joshua J. Mark](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/JPryst/ "User Page: Joshua J. Mark"), published on 28 January 2026. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.