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The following piece attempts to present a summary account of six of the oldest civilizations in chronological order, ranging from the well-known ancient Egyptians to the relatively America ebb wamer Jiahu people. Most historians have not been able to comprehend how abruptly an advanced civilization such as the Maya’s could descend into chaos as occurred in 900 CE. Geographically, the Indus Valley civilization which stretched from present day Afghanistan and Pakistan to Northwest India measured to about 1.25 million kilometers, making it the largest civilization in the history of the world. The oldest skeletal remains of the Australian aborigines date back to nearly 50,000 years. Most people’s concept of ancient civilization is usually centered on the Greeks and Romans, which is quite understandable because both have influenced today’s world in one way or another. Be it through the social, cultural or political legacy they left, these empires molded the modern society we live in today. But there are hundreds of such empires that have existed long before the Greeks and Romans set their foot in the world. All the way from the ancient builders of pyramids in Egypt to the lesser-known civilization of Jiahu, the below article discusses six of the oldest civilizations on Earth in a nutshell.
6. The Maya Civilization (beginning around 2600 BCE and lasting until the year 900).
The civilization known as the Maya encompassed the majority of the native people of Mexico and Central America. Evidence of their hunting-gathering techniques dates back to 7000 B.C.E. although structures of considerable size and complexity dating to approximately 2600 B.C.E. are attested. In the region called Mayapan (the last of the civilizations), construction techniques were already used. During their period of greatest expansion, the population reached more than 19 million people. They constructed elaborate ornate buildings, temples, and pyramids, some of which are larger than the ones found in Egypt. While their religion remains incompletely understood, it is speculated the Maya people had a belief many levels including a heaven and an underworld known as Xibalba. They engaged in this act of worship because most shamans regarded it as giving the spirit a lift to the next level of existence. There was nothing sinister associated with the practice. They were also highly skilled astronomers with a remarkable ability to chart the lunar and solar cycles and the courses of the planets. Now, they are probably best remembered for their calendar that suggested that the present day would mark the end of the timeline on December 21, 2012. Despite the eventual temporal existence of the Mayans, historians are baffled by the fact that how a civilization that had achieved so much went into decline so easily. Nevertheless, the cultural descendants of the Maya people can still be found in the Central America region.
5. The Civilization of Ancient Egyptians (from 3150 B.C.E. to 30 B.C.E.)
The civilization in Egypt began around the year 3150 B.C.E when King Menes the first pharaoh brought together Upper and Lower Egypt. Most of the people lived along the banks of the river Nile. They are known for some of the greatest structures that have ever been built, the Great Pyramid of Giza being one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Ancient Egypt can be viewed as a civilization of firsts. Their achievements in mathematics were astounding and they can also be called the founders of medicine. They were also the first people to adopt waterways as routes and utilize metals such as bronze for making various utensils. They also are known to be the innovators of a system of writing that comprises characters correlating to sounds. This was however possible with the introduction of papyrus which then gave rise to the first mail transfers. Shockingly, they were also the first ones to brush their teeth or wear artificial hair. Their ancient cultural was in many aspects due to wars and invasions sustained over time transformed in a gradual manner.
4. The Civilization of the Indus Valley (about 3300 B.C.E. – 1900 B.C.E)
Spanning present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan to the northwest of India, the Indus Valley Civilization reached an enormous area of 1.25 million square kilometers, making it the largest of all ancient civilizations. The earliest settlements formed around the basin of the Indus River, as people began turning to agriculture. The first signs of urbanization can generally be dated to 3300 BCE according to historians. The Indus Valley Civilization reached its height around 2500 BCE and the population was spread over several well planned and populous cities. There is even archaeoogical evidence of separate toilets in the houses with links to a well developed underground drainage system. The indigenous population also had a system of writing. They were also brilliant with numbers. However, the most shocking theory is that the archaeologists have unearthed no evidence of any warfare or mass violence. It has been over 700 years since they were believed to live without any armor or weapons. Instead, they were very prosperous, peaceful people who engaged in commerce with their neighbours. Most probably it was this love for peace that helped the nimble footed Central Asian invaders to conquer them. Others note however that it was a catastrophic inundation that marked their end. 3. Mesopotamia (approx. 3500 BC – 500 AD)
Mesopotamia has been considered by many historians as the cradle of civilization for quite some time. This area is situated between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the name Mesopotamia is derived from the Greek word which translates to ‘land between the rivers’. Presently, this region covers present-day Iraq, Kuwait, parts of Turkey and part of Syria. For millennia, primitive inhabitants of the area sustained themselves in structures, with a diffusion of such structures into fragments of agriculturally based societies by 8000 years before Christ. With its plains being fertile, it was only logical that farming came in handy along with animal husbandry. These settlements grew into what we imagine as metropolises, with Uruk being numbered as the earliest one in existence around 3500 B.C. At its peak, the city supported around fifty thousand residents. Besides farming, experts point out that the area offered great opportunities for commerce, and also industries such as brick making, metal, and leather work flourished. The people of Mesopotamia are even credited by some historians with the creation of the wheel. Nevertheless, this region fell under Persian rule circa 539 B.C. By the time of Alexander III of Macedon’s two hundred years later reign, almost all the cities and cultures found within Mesopotamia had been eradicated by the Persian way of life.
2. Jiahu (approx. 7000 On Change – 5700 Other)
The ancient settlement of Jiahu is situated in the heart of the central plains of China, presently known as the provinces of Henan. The inhabitants of the civilization settlement were a part of the country's earliest known civilizations. This particular region is teeming with numerous artifacts which in turn makes it any archeologists venture beautiful. In addition to the normal artifacts like pots and tools found in ancient times, there have been rare finds including the records of some of the earliest decipherable Chinese writing and evidence that they produced the oldest known wine in the world. The most interesting was perhaps the bone flute that has been considered the oldest functional musical instrument ever known. These flutes were usually made from the wing-bone of a crane and were probably used during certain events. The habitation of the mentioned settlement ended on or about 5700 BCE, when the surrounding rivers outgrew their banks and submerged the region. Even though, there is no proof towards which, it is presumed the Jiahu people abandoned their location in search of one other.
1. Australia’s First Nations People (approximately fifty thousand years ago)
Before European colonizers reached mainland Australia and its islands, the Australian Aboriginals were the original inhabitants. Many scholars concur that they first immigrated from Southeast Asia over land bridges that no longer exist today because of the high sea levels. Studies show that they are the earliest civilization to exist in the world. The oldest human skeletons date back around 50,000 years; however, some evidence is unclear, but suggests the possibility of humans being there between 70,000 to 80,000 years. The aboriginals of Australia, were hunter-gatherers and as much as they would move from one place to the other, they were attached to certain lands that they would refer to as home. They arrived and occupied the entire continent and over 200 languages were spoken among the natives. All these years, they have fought against extreme abuse, and most of their history and way of life has been systematically erased.
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