Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. New research shows the origins of Sumerian civilization were shaped by tides, rivers, and shifting Mesopotamian landscapes.

The Sumerian takeoff -- Factors hindering our understanding of the Sumerian takeoff -- Modeling the dynamics of urban growth -- Early Mesopotamian urbanism : why? -- Early Mesopotamian urbanism : how?

New research shows that the rise of Sumer was deeply tied to the tidal and sedimentary dynamics of ancient Mesopotamia. Early communities harnessed predictable tides for irrigation, but when deltas ...

The Sumerians created one of the earliest urban civilizations in human history. In southern Mesopotamia, they built powerful cities, developed cuneiform writing, organized complex governments, and ...

Learn how the first civilization in Mesopotamia depended on tides and how it responded when faced with a major environmental challenge. Many millennia ago, the tides turned for ancient Sumerians who ...

The story of how the first cities rose from southern Mesopotamia has long fascinated scientists and historians. Many explanations point to fertile soil, farming, and trade networks as the engines of ...