What do you think about the possibility that there were civilizations before Sumeria?

Question

Usually I am interested in history, but the lately I have developed an interest in Sumeria and before. Even though the Sumerians had cuneiform, their story seems to be fairly obsure...did they, or did they not, invent the wheel? ---for instance. I was wondering if anyone is aware of the academic thought on what might have preceeded Sumeria.

Answer 1

Don't get me started...

There's an 11,500 year old stone temple in Turkey, with a big assed stone statue dated to 13,500 years found near it.

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Also a confirmed underwater city of the coast of India..

http://mathildasweirdworldweblog.wordpre...

And what is looking like one off the coast of Japan...

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And these were covered by the rising sea levels about 10,000 years ago, meaning they were built during the ice age, way before Sumer.

Sumer seems to be an offspring civilization of the neolithic expansion culture from Turkey that built Gobekli Tepe. You see more advanced metallurgy in the Balkans before you do in the near East, and they had some fairly big cities, with ten thousand plus people. They also seemed to use the wheel for transport first. Unfortunately, they built in wood, and didn't build grand monuments, so they tend to be ignored

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Answer 2

The flooding of the Black Sea, when fresh water was abruptly replaced by salt, has been suggested as both the source of the numerous flood stories and reason that civilization began in the Fertile Crescent. Not a heck of a lot of proof but interesting speculation.

It is possible (again facts are sparse) but earlier civilizations may be found on the sea bottom, At the least, it would make a good story.

As for Atlantis Lemuria, civilizations under the South pole or inside the earth. Forget it.

Answer 3

Before the "Flood", circa 7000 years ago, and at the same location, the prehistoric Ubaids preceeded the Sumerians, which is why it is believed that the Sumerian language family has prehistoric origins (Not connected to any other language family)...

In the Mesopotamian river valley, they built houses, had field irrigation, etc...But were apparently wiped out by the "Bibical Flood"!

Answer 4

There were small scale urban settlements but so far the first settlements that can be truly called cities were the ones in Sumeria ... it all depends on evidence ... I'm open to evidence if and when new discoveries are made!

Answer 5

very good question. there were cultures before sumerian in that region. it is known that there are numerous words in the sumerian language that the sumerians themselves adopted. the sumerians acquired writing from other groups which then later evolved into cuneiform. the sumerians most probably also adopted the wheel from other groups particularly from europe where it came from.