Ask Me Everything'1

Who bullt the first cities?

The Sumerians—a people who lived in Southern Mesopotamia (modern-day lraq) morę than 5,000 years ago. The Sumerians also invented wheeled carts and one of the earliest-known writing Systems. These developments mark them out as the worlcTs first true civilization.

Tell me morę: Teotihuacan

In 300 ce, the ancient city of Teotihuacan covered an area of 12 sq miles (31 sq km), making it the largest city in Mesoamerica (Central America) at that time.

Ali the buildings in the city were painted, many with mythological scenes.

What’s in a name?

Mesopotamia means “the land between two rivers" and refers to the fertile floodplain between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

You and your tribe have given up hunting and gathering to become settled farmers. Are you a civilization yet? Tick the boxes and check your score (bottom right) to find out.

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Persia

(Iran)

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The Phoenicians

were a nation of seafarers and traders. They were famous for their purple dye extracted from the mucus of the murex

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sea snail. Snails were collected in large vats

and left to rot, causing a foul stench—yuck!

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_The pyramid of the Sun

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religious ceremonie .

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□ You build cities, and your farmers grow enough food to feed the urban population.

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Blasts from the past

Your rulers build great tombs for themselves.

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You have priests to perform religious rituals to your gods.

You are using bronze for weapons and decorative items

i You have an army to fight against neighboring States.

, You can write, keep records and have a system of laws.

□ You have engineering skills and can organize huge teams to build temples and monuments.