Eridu

Eridu is an archaeological site in southern Mesopotamia, located on the banks of the Euphrates in present-day Iraq. It is widely regarded as one of the oldest urban settlements in the world and a major religious center of ancient Sumer.

Evidence of occupation begins in the Ubaid period (roughly 6500–3800 BCE), with the oldest temples built during the late Ubaid and early Uruk periods. The most prominent temple complex is the E-Abzu, dedicated to Enki (Ea), the god of water and wisdom. The Abzu temple complex formed the core of the city and influenced later temple towns in the region.

Archaeological research began in the 19th and 20th centuries, with excavations revealing successive monumental buildings built atop older foundations, illustrating the city’s long religious function and urban development. The site preserves several tell mounds, showing layers of occupation from mud-brick construction and rebuilt sanctuaries.

Eridu declined as Uruk rose to regional prominence around the late fourth millennium BCE, and the city was gradually abandoned by the early Bronze Age. Its shifting fortunes reflect broader patterns of political and religious change in southern Mesopotamia.

Today the ruins are a protected archaeological site in Iraq and remain an important source for understanding early urbanism and Sumerian religion. The site has suffered damage from irrigation development and looting, which has limited preservation of some structures while others survive as outlines of ancient temple complexes and residential areas.