The Sumerian civilization is the earliest known historical human settlement that developed in ancient Mesopotamia, which is presently located within the borders and along the territories of the country that we know currently as modern day Iraq. Additionally, not only is this Sumerian civilization the first to crop up in ancient Mesopotamia, but it is arguably the first and the oldest civilization which originated in the entire world next to ancient Egypt. However, though historians and archaeologists have pinpointed the location of the first human habitation, academia would have us believe in the theories of evolution and the “big bang” in order to answer the questions of how mankind was created and how the world came to be. Furthermore, it is the sincere belief of this author that the “problem” of tracing the origins of the universe and of mankind can be solved by looking into the Biblical narrative, as well as the dates of recorded history as outlined by secular academic scholars. That being said, let us begin in the beginning by turning to the first book of the Bible: Genesis.
By studying the genealogies of the patriarchs as outlined in the book of Genesis, we come close to the date of 5,500 BC for the creation of the world and for the creation of the first man Adam. About two thousand years or so later the Flood took place at around 3,500 BC, close to the same date historians believe writing was invented in Sumer or ancient Mesopotamia. The Bible goes on to say that after the Flood the whole earth was of one language, “and it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and dwelt there.” (Genesis 11:2). This plain of Shinar as described in the Bible is where the people built the Tower of Babel, for the name Babel is where the name Babylon derives it’s origin (Genesis 11:9). Additionally Sumer is known as the plain of Babylon, and we all can agree that Babylon was located in ancient Mesopotamia. So, if the land of Shinar is where the Tower of Babel was built shortly after the Flood around 3,500 BC, then both the origin of where the inhabitants of Sumer came from and when may be answered. Going further, the Bible states that after the Flood the Ark of Noah came to rest on the mountains of Ararat, near the boarders of modern day Turkey and Armenia. And since both the Tigris and Euphrates rivers have their origins in Armenia and end in Sumer (Modern Iraq), then it is very plausible that the survivors of the Flood and their families could have traveled down the area between the rivers until they decided to settle in Sumer.
Now some may disagree with this conclusion and argue that since the Bible says that after the Flood the people journeyed from the east and if the survivors of the Flood traveled from the ark and went eastward, then the plain of Shinar must be located Syria and not Iraq. However, when studying the geography of where the ark is believed to have rested (in the mountains of Ararat) we notice how the Tigris and Euphrates rivers first flow eastward before they later curve towards the south and then southeast until they both terminate into the Persian Gulf. So by traveling along the rout of where the Euphrates river begins, we do indeed journey from the east. Going further, if we continue following the rivers we will eventually find ourselves in the territory of ancient Sumer, or the Biblical land of Shinar. Additionally, in the opening verses of the Book of Daniel, scripture directly links the land of Shinar with Sumeria and Babylon. For it is written, “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar…” (Daniel 1:1-2). So here it is clearly revealed that Sumer and the land of Shinar are one and the same. Interestingly the name Sumer in ancient times was pronounced Shumer, very close to the name Shinar.
In conclusion, from the discoveries and theories of secular historians are we taught that ancient Sumer is the location of where writing was invented around 3,500 BC, and this is roughly the same date and place where we find the beginning of civilization as written in the Bible. Additionally, we see the connections of the Biblical land of Shinar with ancient Sumer from various passages found in holy writ. Following both the secular scholastic historians and Bible scholars, it is possible to not only match the date of the history of writing, but also the geographical location of the beginning of history in a post-Flood world.
References:
Kramer, S.N. History Begins at Sumer. (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc.,1959).
Roux, G. Ancient Iraq. (New York, NY: Penguin Books, Inc., 1992).
Zondervan. The Holy Bible, King James Version. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2009).