Approximately 6000 years ago, people living in clay-walled cities along the banks of the southern end of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers established the first society to progress beyond the Stone Age. They formed the first empire. A number of times before this, civilizations in other parts of the world may have briefly flourished and then passed away. But it was in this area of Mesopotamia calledSumerthat civilized life took hold, becoming a dominant influence on future civilizations and a major effect on present day society. Although Sumeria’s religious practices, myths, and taboos have generally been forgotten, Sumerian interaction with Hebrews, Canaanites, Phoenicians, Egyptians, Minoans, and Greeks had such a large impact on the development of most religions and western philosophy that it’s importance from a religious point of view is irrefutable.