Sumerians
Ancient Tigris-Euphrates dwellers
The Sumerians were the people of ancient Sumer, a civilization that flourished in southern Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) from roughly 4500 to 1900 BCE.
They developed one of the world's earliest writing systems, cuneiform, and made foundational contributions to mathematics, astronomy, and urban planning.
As an adjective, Sumerian describes their language, culture, or artifacts.
The Sumerians built elaborate temple complexes called ziggurats.
Stylus-impressed ancient script
- tabletsFlat portable computing devices
- scribesProfessional document copiers
- stylusPointed implement for marking
- clayMoldable earth for ceramics
pictographs · logograms · syllabary · archives · literature · Gilgamesh · reed · inscriptions
Stylus-impressed ancient script
- UrEarly Mesopotamian metropolis
- city-statesSelf-governing urban territories
- zigguratsMesopotamian terraced temple structures
- TigrisWestern Asian river
Euphrates · Fertile Crescent · temples · irrigation · bronze · wheel · plow · dynasties
Male hereditary rulers
- priestsOrdained religious leaders
- merchantsThose who conduct commerce
- farmersLand-cultivating occupation holders
- slavesPersons owned by others
artisans · scribes · nobility · commoners · laws · taxation · trade · guilds
cuneiform
Stylus-impressed ancient script
- tabletsFlat portable computing devices
- scribesProfessional document copiers
- stylusPointed implement for marking
clay · pictographs · logograms · syllabary · archives · literature · Gilgamesh · reed · inscriptions · bilingual
cuneiform
Stylus-impressed ancient script
- UrEarly Mesopotamian metropolis
- city-statesSelf-governing urban territories
- zigguratsMesopotamian terraced temple structures
Tigris · Euphrates · Fertile Crescent · temples · irrigation · bronze · wheel · plow · dynasties · Akkadians
kings
Male hereditary rulers
- priestsOrdained religious leaders
- merchantsThose who conduct commerce
- farmersLand-cultivating occupation holders
slaves · artisans · scribes · nobility · commoners · laws · taxation · trade · guilds · households
wheel
Rotating circular frame
- plowTool for turning soil
- irrigationArtificial water supply for agriculture
- canalsConstructed water passages
bronze · sailboat · pottery · brewing · mathematics · astronomy · calendar · weights · measures · surveying
Anu
Mesopotamian heaven deity
pantheon · rituals · offerings · mythology · creation · afterlife · divination · omens · underworld · libations
- ancient civilizationsAncient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Aztecs, Egypt, Persia
- Middle EastIraq, Baghdad, Cairo, Iran, Jordan
- historical peoplesAztecs, Babylonians, Celts, Egyptians, Gauls
- Lost CivilizationsAtlantis, Pompeii, Troy, Babylon, Mycenae
- MesopotamiaBabylon, Tigris, Euphrates, cuneiform, Babylonian Empire
- Sumercuneiform, Ur, Gilgamesh, ziggurat, ziggurats
SumeriansAkkadians
Ancient Semitic Mesopotamian civilization
Semites · Babylonians · Assyrians · Indo-Europeans · Hebrews