Sumer was the southernmost region of ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day southern Iraq and parts of Kuwait), which has long been considered the cradle of civilization. The name comes from Akkadian, the language of the north of Mesopotamia, and means "land of the civilized kings." Sumer is recognized as the birthplace of many of the 'firsts' of civilization, including writing and the development of the city.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 6500 BCE - 4000 BCEThe Ubaid period in Sumer.
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c. 5400 BCEThe city of Eridu is founded.
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c. 5000 BCEGodin Tepe settled.
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c. 5000 BCE - c. 4500 BCEThe city of Uruk founded.
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c. 5000 BCEEvidence of burial in Sumer.
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c. 4500 BCEThe Sumerians built their first temple.
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c. 4000 BCE - c. 1750 BCESumerian civilization in the Tigris-Euphrates valley.
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4000 BCE - 3100 BCEUruk period in Mesopotamia. First cities.
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c. 3600 BCEInvention of writing in Sumer at Uruk.
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c. 3600 BCE - 3500 BCEFirst instance of written language in Sumerian.
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c. 2900 BCE - c. 2334 BCEThe Early Dynastic period in Sumer.
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c. 2600 BCE - c. 2000 BCEThe Royal Graves of Ur used in Sumer.
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c. 2600 BCEBeginning of literature in Sumerian.
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2500 BCEFirst Dynasty of Lagash under King Eannutum is first empire in Mesopotamia.
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2350 BCEFirst code of laws by Urukagina, king of Lagash.
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c. 2141 BCE - c. 2050 BCEThe Gutian period in Sumer.
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c. 2119 BCE - c. 2112 BCEReign of Utu-Hegal at Uruk in Sumer.
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c. 2112 BCE - c. 2004 BCEThe Ur III period in Sumer, known as the Sumerian Renaissance.
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c. 2112 BCE - 2094 BCEUr-Nammu's reign over Sumer.
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c. 2100 BCE - c. 1400 BCEThe tales of Gilgamesh written which inform the Epic of Gilgamesh.
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c. 2038 BCEKing Shulgi of Ur builds his great wall in Sumer.
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c. 1772 BCEThe Code of Hammurabi: One of the earliest codes of law in the world.
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1750 BCEElamite invasion and Amorite migration ends the Sumerian civilization.
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c. 1120 BCEExtant copy of the Sumerian Enuma Elish (creation story) is made from much older text.
