The Sumerian civilization was defined by city-states that developed in the Ubaid period and rose to power into the Uruk period. Sumerian written history can be identified as early as the 27th century BCE. However, the historical record remains obscure until the Early Dynastic III period, c. the 23rd century BCE, when a now deciphered syllabary writing system was developed that allows today's archaeologists to read Sumerian records and inscriptions. Classical Sumer ends with the rise of the Akkadian Empire into the 23rd century BCE. Following the Gutian period, there was a brief Sumerian Renaissance in the 21st century BCE, cut short in the 20th century BCE by invasions from the Amorites. The Amorite "dynasty of Isin" persisted until c. 1700 BCE, when Mesopotamia was united under Babylonian rule. The Sumerians were eventually absorbed into the Akkadian (Assyro-Babylonian) population.
Timeline[]
- Ubaid period: 6500–4100 BC (Pottery Neolithic to Chalcolithic)
- Uruk period: 4100–2900 BC (Late Chalcolithic to Early Bronze Age I)
- Uruk XIV-V: 4100–3300 BC
- Uruk IV period: 3300–3100 BC
- Jemdet Nasr period (Uruk III): 3100–2900 BC
- Early Dynastic period (Early Bronze Age II-IV)
- Early Dynastic I period: 2900–2800 BC
- Early Dynastic II period: 2800–2600 BC (Gilgamesh)
- Early Dynastic IIIa period: 2600–2500 BC
- Early Dynastic IIIb period: c. 2500–2334 BC
- Akkadian Empire period: c. 2334–2218 BC (Sargon)
- Gutian period: c. 2218–2047 BC (Early Bronze Age IV)
- Ur III period: c. 2047–1940 BC