Sumerians: Sumerian civilization was an ancient civilization located in the Mesopotamian region situated between the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Sumerians were popular for their contributions to the fields of language, governance, and architecture. The Sumerian civilization was from c. 5500 – c. 1800 B.C. It is said, that the Sumerians were there for 2,000 years before the Babylonians took charge in 2004 B.C.
In this article, Sumerians, their origin, Sumerian Language & Literature, Technology, Trade & Commerce, Art & Architecture, Religion, Science, Culture, Gilgamesh & the Decline of the Sumerians have been discussed.
About Sumerians
Located in the Mesopotamian region, at the confluence of two rivers: the Euphrates & Tigris the Sumerian Civilization had a culture that comprised many city-states like Eridu, Nippur, Lagash, Kish, Ur, and Uruk. It is said that the Sumerian civilization reached its zenith around 2800 BC. It had a population between 40,000 and 80,000 people. Known for their contributions in the fields of language, governance, and architecture, Sumerian Civilization was amongst the most important civilizations in the world.
Sumerian Civilization – Overview
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Location
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Mesopotamia, Near East, Middle East
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Rivers
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Euphrates and Tigris
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Time Frame
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c. 5500 – c. 1800 BC
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Period
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Late Neolithic, Middle Bronze Age
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Major Cities
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Ur, Uruk, Eridu
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Preceded By
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Ubaid Period
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Followed By
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Akkadian Empire
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History of Sumerians
Sumerians homeland in Mesopotamia, called Sumer, emerged roughly 6,000 years ago between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in present-day Iraq and Syria.
The Sumerians were popular for their farming, writing, mathematics and astronomy. By being situated at the confluence between two large rivers, Euphrates and Tigris, Sumerians were at an advantage as they were on a rich floodplain soil which had ample water to irrigate crops. Sumerians were known for their technological innovations like canals and plows. From growing food to building cities and temples, Sumerians came a long way.
People living in the Mesopotamian region, raised animals and grew grains, while hunting and gathering. Over time, with the expansion of villages, Sumerian people became increasingly dependent on farming.
At a site named Eridu, it was seen that temples were being constructed using mud bricks. Founded around 5400 B.C, Eridu was amongst the first city-states of the Sumerian civilization. Soon, a number of cities came up like Ur, Kish and Uruk. With the expansion of cities, Sumer emerged as one of the world’s first great agricultural societies. Uruk, being the largest city in the world now became quite known than Eridu.
Sumerian Language and Literature
It was first around 3100 B.C., the Sumerian language first appeared in the archaeological records. It dominated Mesopotamia for the next thousand years. Akkadian replaced Sumerian around 2000 B.C. Sumerian continued as a written language in cuneiform for another 2,000 years. Cuneiform, used in pictographic tablets, was later adapted into Akkadian, and expanded even further outside of Mesopotamia.
The Epic of Gilgamesh, is an epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia which is famous worldwide. Gilgamesh is an epic poem which is loosely based on the historical King Gilgamesh, who ruled Sumerian Uruk (modern day Iraq) in 2700 BC. It is said that it is the oldest written story.
Writing remains one of the most important cultural achievements of the Sumerians. Sumerians had a rich literature, but unfortunately only few fragments of the Sumerian documents are found today.
Sumerian Technology
The Sumerians were known for theor technological marvels such as:
- The first plow appeared about 3500 B.C. And by 1500 B.C., the Sumerians invented a seeder plow as well.
- As far back as 5,000 years ago, the Sumerians had developed cuneiform, one of the earliest forms of writing.
- Sumerian inscriptions on clay and stone recorded the trade and movement of grain and other goods.
- There are many Sumerian tablets which have not been translated yet.
Sumerians invented or improved a wide range of technology, including the wheel, cuneiform script, arithmetic, geometry, irrigation, saws and other tools, sandals, chariots, harpoons, and beer.
Sumerian Trade and Commerce
The Sumerians were quite efficient in the field of trade and commerce. They maintained trade and commercial relations with India and Egypt.
Ur city was a famous centre of international trade and commerce. Sumerians imported mainly food grains, exported wool, silk-dress, metallic goods and dates. As time progressed, the Sumerians accepted silver instead of food grains.
Sumerian Art and Architecture
Sumerians architecture dates back to 3400 B.C., much of the earlier structures were seen in the Ubaid period. These structures improved with time. Mud bricks or bundled marsh reeds were used to make houses. The buildings are noted for their arched doorways and flat roofs.
There was elaborate construction, such as terracotta ornamentation with bronze accents, complicated mosaics, imposing brick columns and sophisticated mural paintings. Temples were adorned with sculptures. As there was a scarcity of stones, Sumerians used metal-casting for their sculpture work. Relief carving in stone was a popular art form.
Sumerian Religion & Gods
Sumerians built temples at the centre of the city state for worshipping Gods and goddesses. The Sumerian temple was known as Ziggurat meaning “Hill of the Heaven”. These were multi-storeyed tower temples.
The top of the temple was a squared room partitioned into two. One room was meant for the presiding deity or the temple and the other room was used by the priest as his residence. The priest was known as ‘Patteshi’. Priests had a major role to play. They believed in dreams and omens and claimed to predict the future events. Sumerian priests composed many mythological stories like the ‘Story of Creation’, ‘Story of Flood’, ‘Story of the Fall of Man’, and ‘Story of the Tower of Babel’ etc.
Sumerians believed in anthropomorphic polytheism, or of many gods in human form, which were specific to each city-state. The core pantheon consisted of An (heaven), Enki (a healer and friend to humans), Enlil (gave spells spirits must obey), Inanna (love and war), Utu (sun-god), and Sin (moon-god). The Sumerians were Polytheists. Most popular deity of the Sumerians was the Goddess ‘Ishtar’.
Sumerians were mostly known for their architecture. The farmers brought water in a pot, a goat or sheep and green palm leaf and kept all those things before the god or goddess. They prayed Gods for rain and grain. The priest sacrificed the animal and predicted the future by studying its liver and entrail.
Sumerians also believed in the theory of ‘life after death’ , that the soul enters into a dark place.
Sumerian Science
In the field of science, Sumerians were known for many things. Sumerians system of medicine was based in magic and herbalism, they also removed chemical parts from natural substances. Sumerians had an advanced knowledge of anatomy, and surgical instruments as could be seen in their archeological sites.
In the area of hydraulic engineering, Sumerians were masters. In order to control flooding, they created a system of ditches. They also invented irrigation. Canals were built. Sumerians were also very good in engineering, maths and architecture. It is said that Sumerians came up with the structure of modern time keeping, with sixty seconds in a minute and sixty minutes in an hour.
Decline of Sumerians
It is said that around 2600 B.C., a power struggle emerged between the leaders of Kish, Erech and Ur. In Awan kingdom, conflict emerged.
The Kish were in power for a while. Later the Uruk King Enshakushanna came to power, followed by the Adabian conqueror Lugalannemundu, who ruled for many years and expanded his kingdom up to the Mediterranean region. Lugalannemundu also conquered the Gutian people, who later ruled Sumer.
In 2500 B.C. the only woman to rule the Sumerians Kubaba, took the throne. Her son Puzur-Suen, later became the ruler of the Kish dynasty which ruled for a century before Uruk king Lugal-zage-si. The Sumerian civilisation came to an end when the Akkadians invaded around 2500 B.C.
Sumerian Civilization Facts
The Sumerian civilization, emerging in the southern part of Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), is one of the world’s oldest civilizations, with its origins dating back to at least the 4th millennium BCE. Here are some key facts about the Sumerian civilization:
1. Cradle of Civilization
- The Sumerians are credited with founding one of the first civilizations in the world, developing alongside the Nile, Indus, and Yellow River civilizations.
2. City-States
- Sumer was composed of independent city-states, such as Uruk, Ur, Eridu, Kish, and Lagash, each ruled by its own king and deities.
3. Writing System
- The Sumerians developed cuneiform, one of the world’s first writing systems, initially for accounting purposes. This allowed them to record transactions, laws, and stories, significantly contributing to the administration and culture.
4. Ziggurats
- They built monumental structures called ziggurats, which were tiered, pyramid-shaped temples that served as centers for worship and city administration.
5. Agricultural Innovations
- The Sumerians made significant agricultural advancements, including the creation of irrigation systems that allowed them to farm the arid lands of Mesopotamia effectively.
6. The Wheel
- They are among the earliest known cultures to have used the wheel, around 3500 BCE, which revolutionized transportation and pottery making.
7. Mathematics and Astronomy
- Sumerians developed a base-60 number system, which is still used today for measuring time (60 seconds per minute, 60 minutes per hour) and angles (360 degrees in a circle). They also made significant observations in astronomy.
8. Literature
- The Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest works of literature, originates from Sumer. It tells the story of Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, and his quest for immortality.
9. Legal Codes
- They established some of the earliest known legal codes, predating the Code of Hammurabi. These laws covered aspects of daily life, including trade, marriage, and penalties for criminal behavior.
10. Trade and Economy
- The Sumerians engaged in extensive trade, exchanging goods like grain, cloth, and crafted items for timber, stone, and metals, which were not locally available.
Conclusion – Sumerians
The ancient Sumerians located at the heartland of Sumer, between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers were one of the major civilisations of the world. Known for their irrigation skills as they were located in very fertile lands. Several major cities were in Sumer like Ur, Uruk, Kish and Eridu. Sumerians are said to have been the first ones to come up with writing.
Thus, the Sumerian civilisation was the first manifestation of the Mesopotamian civilisation. The characteristics of the civilisation reflect its contributions. Sumerian civilisation came to an end by the invasion of the Akkadians around 2500 B.C.
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FAQs on Sumerians
What race were Sumerians?
The Sumerians were an ancient people who established one of the world’s first civilizations in southern Mesopotamia. Their ethnic origins are not definitively known, as they lived over 4,000 years ago. The Sumerian language is a language isolate, not related to any known language family, complicating efforts to trace their origins. Modern concepts of race do not easily apply to ancient peoples like the Sumerians, who are best identified by their unique cultural and linguistic contributions.
Who were the Sumerians?
The Sumerians were the people of the southern Mesopotamia, which lasted from c. 5500 – c. 1800 B.C.
What were the Sumerians known for?
The Sumerians were known for their innovations in language, governance, architecture and more. They were known to have been the ones who first came up with writing and invented the plow.
Where was Sumer located?
Sumer was located at the confluence of Euphrates and Tigris rivers, in the Mesopotamian region.
Is Sumer older than Egypt?
Sumerian civilization (c. 5500 – c. 1800 B.C.) is considered to be older than the ancient Egyptian civilization which lasted from 3100 to 332 B.C.E.
Who wrote Gilgamesh?
The epic poem Gilgamesh was said to have been written by the Sumerians.
What was the religion of the Sumerians?
Sumerians believed in anthropomorphic polytheism, or of many gods in human form, which were specific to each city-state.
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