Come to Sumer!
Join in the adventure!
Geography
Located in the southeastern region of what was prehistorical Mesopotamia, Sumer was one of the earliest civilizations, following the Neolithic Age. Mesopotamia itself was found within the Fertile Crescent region, reaching from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. Today, you would find this region located in the Middle East.
Ziggurats and Diplomats
Religion
The Sumerians were polytheistic, which is the belief of many (in this case up to 3,000) gods and goddesses! To show their appreciation and devotion, Sumerians would build enormous temples of worship dedicated to the gods. They were commonly known as Ziggurats, which could be compared to the pyramids in Egypt as well as the Mayan temples. These greatly acclaimed landmarks are a sight for curious adventurers!
Ziggurats were used for the center of city. Sumerians paid their "taxes" towards these temples as well as towards the priests and priestesses. Ziggurats, because of their size and symbol of power, were used to contain surplus and crafts, which were then traded.
Sumerian Inventions
Innovations
Bronze, which was a mix of tin and copper, was innovated in early Sumer. It was used for jewelry, tools, and weaponry. For society, this was another accessible tool which would play a part in later industrial times.
Writing in the Rock
Cuneiform also benefited the rest of the world as one of the earliest forms of record keeping. With Cuneiform, Sumerians were able to record the trades and exchanges with or city-states. Cuneiform is the usage of a reed stylus, which comes don into a wedge shaped used to make indentions on clay tablets. Cuneiform was also used in schools as well as training scribes. Come and take a look at these artifacts first hand!
Fun Facts!
For you astronomers and mathematicians out there, visiting the city-state of Sumer should be the place for you. Not only did the Sumerians invent the Sun Dial, but they also devised a system based on the number 60 and geometry. For you astronomers, you'll be happy to hear that if not for the Sumerians, you would not learn of the constellations that are charted today!