The term "mesopotamia" is Greek for "the land between two rivers." The land between the Tigris and the Euphrates, known as the “Fertile Crescent,” is located in parts of what is now Iran, Iraq and Turkey. This fertile farming area exists in a region that is otherwise predominantly desert. 

Mesopotamia was the first river valley civilization and, thus the first civilization in human history. Some of the first cities were established; animals and plants were domesticated, building on the advances of neolithic villages in the region; mathematics and astronomy were born; a writing system was developed; empires were created; and monumental buildings were constructed. Mesopotamian civilizations were the first in the world to domesticate animals and plants. The epic of Gilgamesh is the first written story on Earth. This area was also the location of many famous Bible stories, such as the Garden of Eden and Noah’s Ark. 

Mesopotamia was settled in turn by the Sumerians, the Babylonians, and Assyrians, each of whom brought changes and advancements to the region. 

As each new group of people moved into the region, or took control of the government, they adopted some of the culture, traditions and beliefs of the people who had come before them. Therefore, certain aspects of civilization in Mesopotamia remained the same, and some changed over time. Much of Mesopotamian history lay buried beneath the sand and soil for thousands of years. However, there were clues, such as the mounds known as 'tells', and the ruins of ziggurats, that treasures lay below the surface. In the past two hundred years, people have begun to excavate objects and buildings that reveal the ancient history of this region.