Early & Middle Bronze Age Mesopotamia

Standard of Ur, Royal Cemetery at Ur

Early & Middle Bronze Age Mesopotamia, spanning from approximately 3300 to 1200 BCE, was a crucible of human civilization. Located in the fertile crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, this region saw the rise of complex societies, the invention of writing, and the development of sophisticated political and religious systems.

Key Developments

  • Invention of cuneiform writing system
  • Development of complex irrigation systems
  • Rise of city-states and early empires
  • Advancements in mathematics and astronomy
  • Creation of monumental architecture, including ziggurats

Notable Civilizations

Sumer

The world's first known civilization, famous for inventing cuneiform and the wheel.

Akkad

The first empire in Mesopotamia, founded by Sargon the Great.

Babylon

Known for the Code of Hammurabi and the legendary Hanging Gardens.

Assyria

Emerged as a major power towards the end of the Middle Bronze Age.