Ancient Sumer

Sumer was one of the first civilisations, located in what is now southern Iraq. The Sumerians built cities with temples, developed a writing system called cuneiform and created early laws. They also invented the wheel and improved farming with irrigation.

The Sumerians wrote on soft clay tablets with a wedge-shaped tool called a stylus. Many of these tablets have survived, and they tell us about trade, religion and daily life in ancient cities.