Sumer: The Greatest Ancient Civilization Ever by Anna
Sumer: The Best Ancient Civilization Ever
Think about all of the ancient civilizations that once existed and how they have helped us, but also think about how Sumer was the one that managed to rise above all else. Sumer is the civilization which has made the greatest contribution to world history and culture today because of innovations such as cuneiform, the lunar calendar, and the wheel.
Cuneiform was a crucial part of the world many years ago as well as today. It is one of the earliest systems of writing in the world. It started out as pictographs, or picture writing, but later developed into cuneiform. People used reeds, or thin pieces of wood, to write on wet clay tablets. Cuneiform was invented c.2800B.C in order to record information. It was used to keep laws, record amounts of crops harvested, keep track of taxes, and more. Scribes were the first to know how to read and write. This innovation has made a huge impact on our lives today. Because of it, we are easily able to record information and communicate.
Cuneiform was important, but the lunar calendar play its part in a whole new way. The lunar calendar is a calendar developed from the cycle of the moon. It’s divided into 12 28 day months. 28 days because that’s the length for the moon to complete one full cycle. A lunar year is shorter than a solar year, because of cycle differences, so every three years and extra month is added. The lunar calendar affected life today is so many great ways. It was the beginning of true time keeping and it inspired the solar calendar.
Looking away from the lunar calendar, the wheel, though it seems to be a simple innovation, has made a great difference. In 3500B.C, what was thought to be the oldest wheel was discovered in Mesopotamia; more specifically, Sumer. It started out as just a wooden log that carts would roll across, but after much development it transformed into the wheel. Wheels were used to make chariots. Chariots were used to for “war, racing two-wheeled farm carts, heavy four-wheeled freight wagons, and passenger coaches”. Without the there would be a very different today. That’s because not only did it eventually develop into rubber wheels, but without it there would be no cars and motorcycles, biked, scooters, or even shopping carts, trains tanks, baby strollers, and robots.
Cuneiform, the lunar calendar, and the wheel were all innovations that prove Sumer was the ancient civilization that has made the largest contribution to world history and culture today.
