Uruk, a prominent Sumerian city located in present-day southern Iraq, is widely regarded as the first true city in human history, with origins dating back to between 6500 and 4000 BC. It played a central role in the rise of urban civilization in Mesopotamia.

Uruk reached its peak during the Uruk period (c. 4000–3100 BC), becoming a major cultural, religious, and political center.

The city featured monumental architecture such as ziggurats, advanced infrastructure, and is credited with the early development of cuneiform writing, which began as pictographs for administrative purposes.