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The rise and fall of history’s first empire - Soraya Field Fiorio

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TEDEd Animation

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History’s first empire rose out of a hot, dry landscape, without rainfall to nourish crops, without trees or stones for building. In spite of all this, its inhabitants built the world’s first cities, with monumental architecture and large populations— and they built them entirely out of mud. Soraya Field Fiorio details the rise and fall of the Sumerian empire.

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Although located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, there was almost no rainfall in the hot and dry climate of Sumer. What technology first allowed the Sumerians to grow grain surpluses without rain?

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Soraya Field Fiorio
  • Director Tomás Pichardo-Espaillat
  • Narrator Susan Zimmerman
  • Sound Designer Cem Misirlioglu, Mikey Coltun
  • Music Cem Misirlioglu, Mikey Coltun
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Elizabeth Cox
  • Fact-Checker Joseph Isaac

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