The Sumerians are thought to have formed the first human civilization in world history. They lived in southern Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in the Middle East. Cradle of Civilization. Many historians think that cities and towns were first formed in Sumer around 5000 BC.
At noon, on March 21 and September 23rd are the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. The sun is directly overhead at the equator at these times. On June 22nd is the summer solstice, in the Northern Hemisphere. The sun is at the 23.5 degrees Northern latitude.
1 Measuring latitude using the sun can only be done at noon, when the sun is at its highest point in the sky. 2  To determine when it's noon (without a watch or radio) place a stick at the southernmost end of your north-south line. 3  Use a plumb line to make sure that the stick is vertical.