Iraq is widely known as the "Cradle of Civilization" because it is home to ancient Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. This historic region birthed some of the earliest and most influential empires in human history.
The Sumerians and the Invention of Writing
The story of civilization began in southern Iraq with the Sumerians around 3500 BCE. They built the world’s first cities, developed advanced irrigation systems, and invented Cuneiform, the earliest known form of writing. They also constructed massive stepped temple towers known as Ziggurats, such as the famous Great Ziggurat of Ur.