Sumerians Timeline

Definition

The Sumerians were the people of southern Mesopotamia whose civilization flourished between c. 4100-1750 BCE. Their name comes from the region which is frequently – and incorrectly – referred to as a “country”. Sumer was never a cohesive political entity, however, but a region of city-states each with its own king.

More about: Sumerians

Timeline

6000 BCE - 1750 BCE
Sumerian civilization in the Tigris-Euphrates valley.
c. 5400 BCE
The City of Eridu is founded.
c. 5000 BCE
Sumer inhabited by Ubaid people.
c. 5000 BCE - 4100 BCE
The Ubaid Period in Sumer.
c. 5000 BCE
Evidence of burial in Sumer.
c. 4500 BCE
The City of Uruk founded.
c. 4500 BCE
The Sumerians built their first temple.
4100 BCE - 2900 BCE
Uruk Period in Sumer.
c. 3600 BCE
Invention of writing in Sumer at Uruk.
c. 3200 BCE
First instance of written language in Sumerian.
2900 BCE - 2334 BCE
The Early Dynastic Period in Sumer.
c. 2500 BCE
Beginning of literature in Sumerian.
2350 BCE
First code of laws by Urukagina, king of Lagash.
c. 2150 BCE - c. 1400 BCE
The tales of Gilgamesh written which inform The Epic of Gilgamesh
2047 BCE - 1750 BCE
The Ur III Period in Sumer, known as the Sumerian Renaissance.
2047 BCE - 1750 BCE
The Ur III Period in Sumer. Great Wall of Uruk still standing.
c. 1772 BCE
The Code of Hammurabi: One of the earliest codes of law in the world.
1750 BCE
Elamite invasion and Amorite migration ends the Sumerian civilization.