Their culture was comprised of a group of city-states, including Eridu, Nippur, Lagash, Kish, Ur and the very first true city, Uruk. These city-states had canals and walled settlements, varying in size, to provide irrigation and defense from their neighbors if necessary. Each city-state had its own ruler. They went by various titles such as lugal, en, or ensi. The ruler was like a king or governor. The ruler of the city was often the high priest of their religion as well. Although the Sumerian city-states had much in common, they fought for control of the river water, a valuable resource.
Architecture on a grand scale is generally credited to have begun under the Sumerians, with religious structures dating back to 3400 B.C. Cities dotted the plains of Sumeria, each one dominated by a temple built for one of their human-like gods, on top of what were called ziggurats. Here the priests would perform rituals and sacrifices.
The Sumerians were the first known civilization to use writing to record their thoughts and literature. The Sumerian language is the oldest linguistic record. It first appeared in archaeological records around 3100 B.C. and dominated Mesopotamia for the next thousand years.
The artists and artisans were very skilled. Artifacts show great detail and ornamentation, with fine semi-precious stones imported from other countries, such as lapis lazuli, marble, and diorite, and precious metals such as hammered gold, incorporated into the design. Facing a scarcity of stone, Sumerians made leaps in metal-casting for their sculpture work, though relief carving in stone was a popular art form.
Culture of Sumerians
