The rise and fall of history's first empire

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. [Directed by Tomás Pichardo-Espaillat, narrated by Susan Zimmerman, music by Cem Misirlioglu and Mikey Coltun].