High School

What was the first identifiable group to settle in the region of Sumer, perhaps as early as 7000 BCE?

Answer :

Final answer:

The Ubaidians were the first to settle in the Sumer region around 4500 to 4000 BCE, establishing significant agricultural, trade, and industrial practices that set the foundation for later Sumerian civilization.

Explanation:

The first identifiable group to settle in the region of Sumer, around 4500 to 4000 BCE, were the Ubaidians. These people were revolutionary in various aspects of civilization, being the first to drain the marshes for agriculture, developing trade, and establishing industries such as weaving, leatherwork, metalwork, masonry, and pottery. The Ubaidians also contributed to the rise of the first cities, with one of the most notable being the city of Uruk, which became a large urban center with an advanced irrigation agriculture system.

These settlements were the precursors to a highly sophisticated civilization that would eventually become regarded for numerous advancements, including their writing system and the famous King Gilgamesh of Uruk. Though the historical records that mention the Ubaidians specifically are scant, the evidence of their contributions to early Sumerian culture is found both in archaeological sites and the later advancements made by the Sumerians who inherited and built upon the Ubaidian foundation.