Know more on the Earliest Human Organisation

The earliest known civilization to man is the Sumerian Civilization of the Mesopotamian region. The civilization emerged during the Chalcolithic and early bronze ages. The Sumerians lived along the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates. They grew differently and had an abundance of grains and other crops.

The name Sumer is the derivative from the Akkadian (North-Mesopotamian language) meaning ‘land of the civilised kings’. The people of Sumer famously called themselves ‘the black-headed people’. The kings of Sumer believed that the Gods gave humans the gifts necessary for cultivating society by establishing the Eridu city of the Sumerian region.

The Mesopotamians believed that Eridu was the oldest city, whereas the oldest city was the Uruk. The Sumer civilization was first settled by non-Semitic people between 4500 and 4000 BCE. The social group was the family tribe and had three classes; the upper class with kings, priests, warriors, the second group including artisans, merchants, farmers and the third group included the unskilled workers.

The Ubaid Period

As stated above, it is believed that the Sumerian empire was firstly established by non-Sumerians who were the Ubaids. These peoples had moved from the hunter-gatherer society to the agrarian society. Several tools, such as sickles, bricks, were excavated from southern Iraq. The excavations showed the making of textiles and the development of pottery in the Sumerian reign. Therefore, the Ubaidian period is the period of the distinctive style of great quality pottery. 

The Uruk Period

The Uruk period marked the development of pottery. It involves the shifting of painted potteries of the Ubaid period to the unpainted potteries mass-produced on the large scale of the Uruk period. During this period, there was a rise in the volume of trade goods transported. During this period, the Uruk began to capture the slave labour. They capture these labourers from the hill country. The cities during this period were theocratic. The cities were headed by a priest (King). Another council of ministers (both men and women) assist them. The Uruk period clashed with the Piora Oscillation (abrupt cold and wet period in the climate history). This Piora Oscillation ended the long warm weather of the reign.

Early Dynastic Period

The Uruk period preceded this era of Mesopotamian history. The early dynastic period is the time between 2900 to 2334 BCE. In this period, several cultural advances were made. There was the rise of cities and development in writings. It also marks the establishment of government. This era was subdivided into the following categories:

• Dynastic I – 2900-2800 BCE
• Dynastic II – 2800-2600 BCE
• Dynastic III – 2600-2334 BCE

The Akkadian Empire

The Early dynastic empire was succeeded by the Akkadian Empire dating to 2234 to 2154 BC. As the name suggests, the empire was in the city of Akkad. The empire reached its peak between the 22nd and 24th centuries. The language of Akkad under Sargon (the founder) and his successors were imposed on the conquered states (such as Elam). The Mesopotamian people fused into two Akkadian speaking nations, i.e. the Assyria and Babylonian. 

The Ur III Period

It is the last period in the Sumerian civilization that dates from 2047 to 1750 BC. There were remarkable advances in culture during this period, due to which it is also famous as the Sumerian Renaissance. The credit of cultural advancement goes to the kings of the Ur, i.e. Ur Nammu and Shulgi. The writer Samuel Noah Kramer wrote first of the history in his book named ‘ History Begins at Sumer’. Some of these first mentioned by him of Sumer are the first messiahs, the first Noah and the Flood stories, the first tale of a dying and resurrected god, the first love song, the first aquarium, the first legal precedents in court cases, and others. The division of day and night into 12 hours was by them. They also established the concepts of days off of work. The horoscope which we check today also comes from the ancient Sumer.

The Decline of the Sumer Empire

The invasion of Elamites caused the collapse of the Sumerian empire in 1750 BCE. King Shulgi had constructed a great wall for the protection of the people. But the wall was easy to walk around and was not anchored on the ends. Thus, the barrier constructed for the protection was ineffective. The Elams breached the wall, attacked the Urs and carried away the king. After the decline of the Ur period, the Sumerians moved towards the North. Thus, there were very few Sumerians left and the legacy of the Sumerian culture ended.

Conclusion

The Sumerian organisation was the earliest organisation of human history. The people of the Sumer had great development of pottery and making of textiles. The kings supported the art and artists of that time. The social group was the family tribe and had three classes; the upper class with kings, priests, warriors, the second group including artisans, merchants, farmers and the third group included the unskilled workers. The name Sumer is derived from the Akkadian (North-Mesopotamian language), meaning ‘land of the civilised kings’. The people of Sumer famously called themselves ‘the black-headed people’. The invasion of Elamites caused the collapse of the Sumerian empire in 1750 BCE.