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to us today as the land of Sumer and is centred on a location where the rivers Tigris and Euphrates join and empty their waters into the Arabian Gulf. Historically the first settlements here begin at around 4500 BC, a time that far precedes the age of the Pharoahs in Egypt, and continues until around 1750BC when the Sumerians disappear, assimilated by newer more dominant neighbours. But just being the oldest culture in the area in itself does not make it the most important. Sumer's contribution to the march of man towards flourishing civilization is the amount of "firsts" it spawned. The Cuneiform writing system, kingship, bricks, mathematics and astronomy all have their roots in this culture and although later cultures may have taken these ideas to new heights, it is the Sumerians that began down those paths.

So what of Kramer's book. In short it is everything that you need to know about this ancient race. all aspects are covered from its history, mythology, heroes and kings , the nature of its society, its education and literature and even its drives, motives and values. Beyond these practical considerations the author looks at the legacy left by this apparent earliest of empires in the near east. Basically if you have only one book on the subject then this should be it. Kramer writes with a combination of scholarly dexterity and enthusiasm, which creates a book that, can be used at a professional level but is also within the grasp of the layman. It does manage to bring together for the first time in one place a collection of texts and fragments that have been denied the general reader and with the inclusion of these it is easy to follow the arguments and check the conclusions that have been made.

There is a wealth of information in this 350-page book and it successfully brings to light a hitherto lost people and although it is a book that is now 40 years old it is yet to be, in my opinion, bettered. It does neatly show that the Sumerians were every bit as interesting and creative as the Egyptians who seem to have stolen their thunder and it goes a long way to redressing the balance. For those people who believe ancient history begins with the Pharoahs, and there are many, this book will be a much-needed wake up call, it is based in the mainstream but will manage to deliver a string of revelations and that's never a bad thing.

Learn more about this author, Dave Franklin.
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