Inlaid gypsum with shell and black limestone. In the Sumerian temples, there were also statues of persons who worshiped the deities. They have huge, saucer-shaped eyes that appear wide open and raised, as if staring at the deity and as a symbol of piety. The artist who carved these faces probably intended them to look like gods. Sumer was one of the first civilizations in history and they used eye symbolism in their art too. The eyes are said to have been carved by the masters from a single piece of stone but over time they became separate pieces. There are several theories about why this might have happened. Some say it is because not all people had access to good health care so they might have lost an eye in battle or something similar. The eyes were then carved separately and put back into their sockets. Others believe it is because each eye took quite some time to carve and since they made many copies of these images, it would be expensive to make every eye exactly the same way the first one was done. The Sumerians lived in what is now Iraq. They are known for developing the first written language around 3500 B.C. Even though their civilization fell after approximately 1100 B.C., they still use writing today. It is believed that the Sumerians obtained their knowledge of eye surgery through travelers or priests from elsewhere.