57 Civilizations of Mud, Highlands, Seas and Oceans

This episode is part three of an extended four part series Civilization - the game, the concept and the examples from across the globe. In this episode, I look at four environments and five matching civilizations. First, I look at Sumerian civilization (approx 3000-1500 BC) in the alluvial river valleys of Mesopotamia, the original "cradle" of civilization. Then, I travel to the highlands of MesoAmerica and the Andes to look at the Aztecs and the Incas (roughly 1200-1600 AD). Third, I look at seaboard civilizations and the remarkable trading empire of Sri Vijaya that prospered in Sumatra and the Malay archipelago approx 600-1300 AD. Then finally, I turn to oceans, specifically the Atlantic ocean, and look at the WEIRDest civilization of all that of the Atlantic - Western civilization. Many thanks to Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, David Abalufia and Barry Cunliffe for their fine books that have contributed to this show. Full details are at www.theburningarchive.com. Opening music - the ancient Indonesian theme music from Civilization VI.