How old are the earliest Middle Eastern primary sources?

The Middle East has been called “The Cradle of Civilization” because historians have long believed that the earliest civilizations were born in that region.  One of the most important elements of civilization is the ability to record ideas and information in written format.  The Middle Eastern regions of Mesopotamia and Egypt are believed to be the earliest societies to produce written texts.

To learn about the origins of written texts in the Middle East, click on the link below to the article “What is the Oldest Known Piece of Literature” on History.com.  In addition to reading the short articles on that page, which talk about early written texts in Mesopotamia, you should also watch the short video on the origins of writing.  The oldest known literary epic, referred to today as “The Epic of Gilgamesh,” is also from Mesopotamia.  You can read this important primary source text by clicking on the link to the Internet Archive copy of the Gilgamesh epic.  For more information on Gilgamesh, see the Encyclopedia of World History article linked below.  That link also includes a ten minute video that covers the history of the epic and the major plot points of the story of Gilgamesh.

After reviewing these sources, respond to the question about primary sources on ancient Mesopotamia in the first reading response.

https://www.history.com/news/what-is-the-oldest-known-piece-of-literature

Internet Archive: Epic of Gilgamesh

https://www.worldhistory.org/gilgamesh/