The Sumerian civilization, one of the earliest known in human history, emerged around 4500 BCE in the southern region of Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). They are credited with creating the first known system of writing, cuneiform, which was used for record-keeping, laws, and literature. The Sumerians developed advanced city-states like Uruk, Ur, and Eridu, with impressive ziggurats serving as religious centers. Their society was highly organized, featuring a stratified social structure, innovative agriculture supported by irrigation, and advancements in mathematics and astronomy. By around 2000 BCE, Sumerian culture was absorbed into the Akkadian Empire, though their legacy persisted through subsequent Mesopotamian civilizations.