Mesopotamia is a region in parts of Asia and the Middle East that is bordered by the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers.  Its boundary in the north-eastern part is provided by the Zagros Mountains and the south-western part by the Arabian Plateau.  The Sumerian people were said to have founded the region of Mesopotamia sometime around 4000 BC.  The following are 12 facts that define this region and its people:

Fact 1:  Mesopotamia is the region wherein civilization was born.  Hundreds of cities were first formed in this Asian and/or Middle Eastern region with various practices and way of life that are similar to each other.

Fact 2:  Each Mesopotamian city has its own patron god or goddess. Some cities may share the same faith for deities but each has their own patron deity or god.

Fact 3:  Mesopotamians believe in thousands of different gods and goddesses making them polytheistic.  As many as 3000 gods and goddesses are worshipped by the people that belong to the Mesopotamian region.

Fact 4:  Along with the belief in gods, the people of Mesopotamia also believed that demons or bad spirits exist in the Earth. They often have various rituals that are done to ask their gods to protect them from demons.

Fact 5:  Mesopotamians do not believe in life after death.  After a person dies, his/her body is buried with a corresponding ceremony and it is expected to simply join the earth.

Fact 6:  Mesopotamians worship 4 great gods and consider the other 3000 or so gods as lesser gods.  The four main gods are the god of the heavens, god of the earth, god of water, and god of air. There are many other important and popular gods but these four are considered the main gods for worship.

Fact 7:  Pregnant women use amulets as a way of protecting their unborn child.  This practice is associated with their belief in demons and evil spirits which are said to be capable of making them unhappy.

Fact 8:  There is no permanent capital city in Mesopotamia.  This region may have existed for thousands of years but the war between different cities has resulted in one city gaining power from another for a temporary period only.

Fact 9:  Gender bias started in Mesopotamia.  Back in the ancient times, the boys were already groomed for work and various activities outside the home while the girls were trained to become wives or mothers.

Fact 10:  Some burials in Mesopotamia were done using ceramic jars.  Before the dead bodies are buried beneath the earth, some are put in ceramic jars.

 Fact 11:  The irrigation system was invented in Mesopotamia.  Irrigation and canal systems were needed in the region to basically make use of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and supply their various crops for food needed by all regions from the North to the South.

Fact 12:  Priests were very powerful figures in Mesopotamia.  Many of them made important decisions in the cities that they belong to with some having more power than the rulers.  Children were also typically groomed to become scribes or priests.