Mesopotamia civilization: History of Mesopotamia -

History of Mesopotamia - Ancient Cities, Sumerians, Tigris-Euphrates: The Late Neolithic Period and the Chalcolithic Period. Between about 10,000 bce and the genesis of large permanent settlements, the following stages of development are distinguishable, some of which run parallel: (1) the change to sedentary life, or the transition from continual or seasonal change of abode, characteristic of hunter-gatherers and the earliest cattle breeders, to life in one place over a period of several ... Mesopotamia—literally “the land between rivers” in Greek—has long been called the birthplace of civilization. It was here, thousands of years ago, that humanity took some of its boldest steps forward: inventing writing, building cities, establishing laws, and shaping culture in ways that still echo in our lives today. The Civilization of Mesopotamia ranges from the earliest human occupation in the Paleolithic period up to Late antiquity. This history is pieced together from evidence retrieved from archaeological excavations and, after the introduction of writing in the late 4th millennium BC, an increasing amount of historical sources. It is recognised as the cradle of some of the world's earliest civilizations. [7] The Sumerians and Akkadians, each originating from different areas, dominated Mesopotamia from the beginning of recorded history (c. 3100 BC) to the fall of Babylon in 539 BC.