Many civilizations throughout history could claim to be the greatest. Several Chinese dynasties contributed to the mysticisms and sciences that mankind now enjoys. The Europeans gave the world much of the art that the is still cherished in museums throughout the world. South American civilizations, as well as civilizations in Africa constructed conventional tools used for hunting. More progressive were the Roman and Greek civilizations, that gave mankind theater, the Olympics, and a love of the universe. However, before all of these civilizations could be appreciated, there had to be the Sumerians of Ancient Mesopotamia. The Sumerians were the greatest civilization in world history because without their accomplishments, we would have nothing; they created a written language, cities a successful irrigation system, math, and even devised a method to make beer.
When one thinks of the greatest civilization in history, their minds wander to Chinese dynasties, Greek Amphitheaters, or American war cries. Though some of these civilizations may be noteworthy, none would be possible without the Ancient Sumerian civilization. For example, the Sumerians created written text according to, “The Sumerian World,” by Harriet Crawford .The Sumerian language was present but the population realized there were a need for record, as well as a need for written communication. In the beginning, the written language took the form of pictures. As time progressed, the writing developed into a longhand form of writing that was used to communicate, document, and keep track of trade records . The Sumerians are not the first civilization to use drawings as writing, but they are the first civilization to utilize writing as a part of everyday society, expanding the possibilities for future populations.
Almost more importantly than the written word, are cities. Populations of people, all inhabiting cities, cover the world. To the untrained eye, we believe cities have always been here, waiting for us to move in. However, a city is like everything else, and it had to be invented, created. The Ancient Sumerians are to thank for this accomplishment, without which we would still be bands of wandering nomads . Not only did the Sumerians manage to establish successful cities, but also they realized the cities needed organization. Therefore, they initialized successful bureaucracies to rule over the people. For the forward thinking individuals of the time, it may appear to be a step backward that the Sumerians believed their lives were decided by a set of Gods and their will, but the Sumerians soon learned that similar religious beliefs did consent a sense of community. They believed this so strongly that priests were given power directly under the king, surveying the land and running the irrigation system, among other things .
The cities, so crucial to life now and then, would not have been possible if it had not been for the Sumerian’s invention of irrigation systems . Much of the reason populations were not able to settle is because they needed to travel with the weather, as well as the food. Irrigation systems allowed the Sumerians to grow their food when they needed it, as well as build a surplus of food that allowed the population to grow. The people were no longer forced to move due to weather, famine, or their food moving. They were able to stay in one place and rely on crops or the surplus of food that had been grown throughout the year . The irrigation systems were complex, allowing farmers to plant several different crops while moderating the amount of water each crop received using a series of dams. The dams were evidently so useful there are traces of their techniques being used today by farmers in Iraq, suggesting that the Sumerians were on to something when inventing their irrigation system .
A grand contribution the Sumerians made to the world around them, and to the future, was math . It is widely accepted by many historians that Sumerians are responsible for the invention of mathematics, something we all use for everything from telling time, to boiling macaroni and cheese. The Sumerians invented math by developing a number system based on units of sixty . This mathematical measurement has been revised and changed over time but is still used today in a variety of ways. For example, we still use the Sumerians’ measurement for seconds in a minute, or dividing a circle by 360 degrees . It is assumed that math was invented to help the Sumerians facilitate more profitable trade with other civilizations.
Perhaps less important than writing, irrigation, or math, was the invention of beer. The Sumerians, according to Peter Damerow, were one of the first civilizations to cultivate the brewing of beer . They refined the taste, using their crops, primarily wheat. The drink was offered to kings and priests, but also farmers and slaves. It was the one commonality between many, and possibly one of only simply pleasures in a Sumerian’s life under the circumstances. Other civilizations, such as the Egyptians, were thought to buy beer from the Sumerians at a higher price until they were able to brew their own . It is assumed that beer traveled slowly throughout the world, with Ancient Sumeria as one of its starting points. Though not as noble as its other contributions, Sumeria also managed to give the world a little fun.
In sum, there have been many great civilizations throughout history, but none like Ancient Sumeria. The population of ancient Sumeria gave the world many crucial told it would need to continue progressing. The Sumerians created written language and documentation. Through the invention of irrigation, they were also able to give the world cities. Beyond that, they created math. Less eloquently, but equally important to some, the Sumerians also invented beer. Other civilizations may have contributed to the world, but none as much or as greatly as the Ancient Sumerians.
References
Crawford, Harriet. The Sumerian World. London: Routledge, 2013.
Damerow, Peter. "Sumerian Beer: The Origins of Brewing Technology in Ancient Mesopotamia." Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (2012).
Hoyrup, Jens. Mathematics, Mesopotamian. Chicago: John Wiley & Sons, 2012.
Rost, Stephanie, Abdulamir Hamdani and Steven George. "Traditional Dam Construction in Modern Iraq: A Possible Analogy for Ancient Mesopotamian Irrigation Practices." The British Institute for the Study of Iraq (2011): 201-220.
