DVD

Explore the agricultural practices and technological devices that led to the rise of civilization in Mesopotamia. Meet the nomadic people who became farmers, and see how they established city-states, developed specialized work skills, and advanced organized religion.

In the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the Sumerians developed a written language. Examine how they carved cuneiform characters into clay tablets. Then explore Sumerian folktales.

For the Sumerians, the Tigris River served as an important early trade route. They used it to obtain scarce commodities, such as metal and wood, in exchange for their grain. See how they traveled by river and over land to trade with India and Egypt. Then examine how technological advances, such as the cart, facilitated transporting people and goods.