Sumerians entered Mesopotamia around 4,000 BC from an unknown eastern origin. By 3,100 BC, people lived in cities and the first ruler was Etana. Sumerians spoke an agglutinative language unrelated to any other known language
Babylonian clay tablet with world map and two inscriptions from 9th century BC. Found at Sippar, Baghdad, 60 km north of Babylon. Acquired by British Museum in 1882, first translated in 1889
Genesis describes humans building a tower to reach God's heavens. God punishes them by confusing their language. The tower's name comes from God's confusion of the world's languages
Middle East's high antiquity due to convenient land and sea routes. Agriculture began in Palestine around 8th-9th millennium BCE. Irrigation around Tigris and Euphrates started around 6th millennium BCE. Sumerians developed world's oldest urban culture in late 4th millennium BCE
Belshazzar was the last King of Babylon, son of Nabuchodonosor. Babylon was captured by Medes under Darius during a feast. Sacred vessels were defiled during the feast, leading to mysterious writing. Daniel interpreted the mysterious words about the kingdom's fate
Etemenanki was Marduk's chief temple at Babylon, meaning "House of Heaven and Earth". Herodotus described it as "brazen-doored sanctuary of Zeus Belus". Babylonian inscriptions mention various materials including mud brick and cedar