Neolithic Age (New Stone Age) in the Near East. 7000-5600 BC
“Neolithic Revolution”. 7000-6500 BC
Beginning of settled life.
Walled settlement at Jericho. c.7000 BC
Earliest Neolithic culture in Southern Italy, Sicily, and Liguria. c. 6000 BC
Chalcolithic Period (Copper-Stone Age). First metalwork. 5600-3500 BC
Beginning of the Sumerian civilization. c. 5000 BC First settlements in the fertile river valleys of Sumer.
Northern Mesopotamia.
Appearance of the brilliant Tell Halaf pottery. c. 5000 BC
Sumerians arrive in Southern Mesopotamia. 4500 BC The Sumerians are of unknown origin.
The Sumerians settle in Southern Mesopotamia. 4500-2800 BC Mesopotamia means the land between the rivers.
Sumerian Al’Ubaid period in Southern Mesopotamia. c. 4500 BC Begins with the appearance of painted pottery and a simple agricultural economy in the area.
Sumerian Al’Ubaid culture in Southern Mesopotamia. c. 4260-2750 BC
Well developed urban life.
Earliest exactly dated year in history. 4241 BC
Recorded date in the ancient Egyptian calendar. c. 4000 BC
Farmers living along the Danube River in villages design stone replicas of their deities.
First year of the Jewish calendar. 3760 BC
Beginning of the Bronze Age in Mesopotamia. 3500 BC Tools are made of bronze. Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin.
Beginning of pictogram writing in early Mesopotamia. 3500 BC First phonetic writing.
The Sumerian civilization in Lower Mesopotamia is considered by many ancient historians
to be the first great civilization of mankind.
“White Temple” on Ziggurat. Uruk (Warka). c. 3200 BC
Beginning of ideogram writing in early Mesopotamia. c. 3200 BC
The Sumerians develop cuneiform writing. c. 3200-3100 BC
Beginning of phonogram writing (syllables) in early Mesopotamia.
Temple of Uruk is built in Sumeria. c. 3100 BC
Upper and Lower Egypt are united by Menes (Narmer), the first Pharaoh of the first dynasty. Menes built his capital at Memphis. c. 3100 BC
Kish, which was situated near modern Baghdad, becomes the leading Sumerian city during
the reign of King Etana. c. 3000 BC
The “Great Deluge”. c. 3000 BC
The Old Testament (Jewish) account corresponds with the later written Gilgamesh Epic.
The Bronze Age culture begins, in Europe, in the Aegean and Greece. ca. 3000 BC
Meskiaggasher founds dynasty in Erech. ca. 2800 BC This dynasty begins to rival Kish.
Rise of Kingship in Sumeria. 2800 BC
Rise of early Helladic culture on the mainland of Greece (central Greece
and the Peloponnesus). 2800-2100 BC
Bronze Age culture in Melos and other islands of the Cyclades.
Early Cycladic. 2800-2200 BC
Royal burials at Ur. 2750-2650 BC
Gilgamesh. Sumerian.
Reigns as king of Uruk (Erech). ca. 2750 BC Gilgamesh builds walls around Uruk.
The Gilgamesh epic. c. 2750 BC
Kingship becomes hereditary in Sumeria. 2700 BC
Third Egyptian Dynasty. c. 2600 BC
Imhotep.Builds stepped pyramid in early Egypt. 2600 BC
The Great Sphinx is built. ca. 2550 BC
Early Minoan Period. 2600-2200 BC
Beginning of the Cretan civilization on Crete (until c.1400 BC).
Knossus (Cnossus) is the leading city on Crete.
Cretan civilization spreads to the Aegean Islands.
Fourth Egyptian dynasty. 2550 BC
Celts, who overran western Europe, ride horses, carry iron weapons, and
are ruled by Druids, a priestly class. 2500-1200 BC
Eannatum of Lagash, a great warrior, defeats the Sumerian cities of Ur in
the south and Kish in the north.
Extends his power into Elam as far as Mari. ca. 2450 BC
Eannatum makes the Sumerian city state of Lagash supreme.
Urakgina takes power in Lagash. ca. 2400 BC
Institutes the first known social reforms in history.
Reign of the Pharaoh Cheops (also known as Khufu). 2589-2566 BC
The Great Pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops (Khufu), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient
World, is completed in Gizeh. ca. 2560 BC
Reign of Chephren. 2558-2533 BC
Lugalannemundu, King of Adab.
Briefly unites the Sumerian city states. 2500 BC
Following his death, the city states will fight each other for about 200 years.
The Assyrians settle at the Upper Tigris and Greater Zab rivers. c. 2500 BC
The capital Assur, and the country received their names from Assur,
the chief god of the Assyrians.
Beginning of the Indus valley civilization of northern India. c.2400 BC
A sophisticated culture thrived and cities of Harappa and
Mohenjo-Daro were built with courtyard houses.
Sargon of Akkad conquers Sumer (Sumeria). 2370 BC
Sargon I the Great (2360-2305) of Akkad. 2350-2300 BC
Period of Akkadian dominance.
Sargon conquers Mesopotamia, parts of Syria and Asia Minor, and Elam.
Sargon the Great rules over the vast empire in Mesopotamia.
Founds Agade in Akkad and builds his capital there.
Builds beautiful temples and palace.
Middle Minoan Period. 2200-1550 BC
The cities of Crete reach their maximum expansion.
Middle Cycladic Period. 2200-1650 BC
Egypt fragments with dynasties in rival capitals. ca. 2200 BC
Hsia Dynasty of China. c.2200-c.1776 BC
First historic Chinese dynasty.
Horses are domesticated and rice and millet are cultivated.
Middle Kingdom of Egypt. Reunites Egypt. c. 2200 BC
The Gutians, from what is modern day Iran, conquer Sumeria.
They destroy Agade, and rule Sumeria. ca. 2180-2080 BC
Aryan invasion of India. c.2150 BC