Mesopotamia was a land between two rivers, the Tigris to the north and the Euphrates to the south. The land flooded in the winter and spring but was otherwise scarce, changing drastically with the seasons. Therefore, farming was dependent on irrigation, bringing water from the rivers.

The waterways, gave access to travel, and Mesopotamia became rich and powerful through trade along its banks and beyond.

Mashkan-shapir was a typical Mesopotamian city, but it was abandoned within only 20 years of its settlement. What could have caused its demise?

Scientists believe irrigation techniques played an important role in Mashkan-shapir’s collapse. The same process that allowed farming in this region also eventually made it impossible to farm. They brought in salt water which then evaporated and left behind salt, which was poisonous to the plants. If they drained off water too quickly instead of letting it sit, then it caused erosion. Scientists believe that Mashkan-shapir’s collapse was caused in part by destruction of the fields by mineral salts.

In Mesopotamia, irrigation was essential for crops. The rivers were higher than the surrounding plain, so irrigated water flowed by gravity. Over time, the soil became toxic from the salt left behind after evaporation and the soil no longer support crops. By about 2300 B.C., agricultural production in Mesopotamia was reduced to a tiny fraction of what it had been. Many fields were abandoned as essentially useless. Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets tell of crop damage due to salts.

(adapted from source)