B-1 - Public domain medieval manuscript

Sumer, site of the earliest known civilization, located in the southernmost part of Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, in the area that later became Babylonia and is now southern Iraq, from around Baghdad to the Persian Gulf. The people called Sumerians, whose language became the prevailing language of the territory, probably came from around Anatolia, arriving in Sumer about 3300 BCE. By the 3rd millennium BCE the country was the site of at least 12 separate city-states: Kish, Erech (Uruk), Ur, Sippar, Akshak, Larak, Nippur, Adab, Umma, Lagash, Bad-tibira, and Larsa. Each of these states comprised a walled city and its surrounding villages and land, and each worshipped its own deity, whose temple was the central structure of the city. Political power originally belonged to the citizens, but, as rivalry between the various city-states increased, each adopted the institution of kingship. An extant document, The Sumerian King List, records that eight kings reigned before the great Flood.

Lagash was an ancient Sumerian city-state located in the southern region of Mesopotamia (modern Iraq). It was one of the oldest and most important cities in Sumer, with a history dating back to the 4th millennium BC. Lagash was known for its impressive architecture, including the Great Temple of Ningirsu, dedicated to the city's patron god. The temple was a massive complex comprising several buildings, courtyards and shrines. The city-state was also famous for its wealth and prosperity, based largely on agriculture and trade. Lagash was located on the banks of the Euphrates River, which provided fertile land for agriculture and access to the sea for trade with other civilisations. Lagash was ruled by a series of powerful kings, including Gudea, known for his extensive building projects and his devotion to the gods. The city-state eventually fell under the control of the Akkadian Empire in the 23rd century BC, but continued to be an important cultural and economic centre throughout the ancient world.

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