Sumer and the Sea

From the Chalcolithic onwards, the culture and society of Sumer flourished along the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, with communities living close to the ancient shoreline in an environment that was closely linked to the exploitation of fluvial systems, the sea, and the unique marshlands of the area. This volume gathers together research first presented as part of a workshop, entitled Sumer and the Sea: Deltas, Shoreline, and Urban Water Management in 3rd Millennium Mesopotamia, to explore the interaction between Sumerians and their water-dominated environment. The chapters gathered here offer updates on methodologies and the most recent research from the field to provide new understanding and fresh insights into how the Sumerians adapted to the world in which they lived.