So that we can find out the reliable history of the development of the most ancient world civilizations, scientists had to make great efforts with relevant research. Thanks to the titanic work of historians and archaeologists, we know not only most of the customs, but we can also build them in chronological order, from the oldest to relatively “young”.
Knowledge of the culture of ancient peoples helps us to understand how the formation of modern society took place. The discovery of fossils, artifacts and ruins of cities, which are silent witnesses of events that took place many centuries ago, helps historians to study the life and lifestyle of ancient peoples. Knowing its history, mankind will be able to learn from the mistakes of their ancestors, preventing them from now on.
However, before moving on to the list of the top 10 most ancient civilizations of the world, it is worth considering the formation of humanity from the first stage. Human evolution began about 55 million years ago, as a result of which, during a long evolutionary formation, the species that we call Homo sapiens separated from other hominids and anthropoid apes. In the image below you can observe the evolution.
But before a man stood on two legs, many more millions of years passed. Our ancestors took upright position about 5.8 million years ago. It is not worth considering that from this moment evolution “rushed” at the speed of light. Humanity developed very slowly, step by step approaching the first civilization. The last step occurred about 5500 years ago. This period was marked by the development of agriculture.
When people realized that for normal life activity it was not necessary to do only hunting and gathering, they left their caves and began to settle in small groups and family clans. This gave impetus to the appearance of the first settlements in Asia and Africa. They all started in river valleys - ideal for growing crops. Now people did not have to lead a nomadic lifestyle in search of food. Instead, they settled in one place, which gradually grew into a large settlement, gradually turning into a city. Over time, the wheel, writing, government and other attributes of modern society appeared. So civilization began!
10
Chavin civilization (900 - 250 BC)
Chavin is one of the oldest South American cultures of the pre-Columbian era, located on the territory of modern Peru. Just as the Middle East was the center of many great cultures of the Old World, so South America “sheltered” the civilizations of two western continents. In the image of many ancient cultures, the Chavin civilization was a religious society. The name itself comes from the religious city of Chavin de Huantar, the former capital of all settlements.
According to archaeologists, the unique geography of Chavin provided them with the successful cultivation of many crops, including potatoes, quinoa and corn. Although a study of the remains of the Chavinians showed that their main diet consisted of the first two crops, and much less often from corn.
The architectural style of Chavin culture was transmitted through temples to worship the gods. They were built taking into account the highlands of Peru. To avoid destruction during the rainy season, the Chavinians built complex drainage systems with canals running under the temples.
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Civilization of the Olmecs (1200 - 400 BC)
The Olmec tribes lived in the tropical areas of modern Mexico (the current states of Tabasco and Veracruz). It is noteworthy that the name of civilization is rather arbitrary, since it means only one small tribe who lived in this area. Olmec is considered one of the first Mexican and South American cultures, the prosperity of which took place from 1200 to 400 BC. e.
Olmec settlements existed until the change in weather factors, which became unsuitable for normal life. The word olmec itself means rubber, which the tribes traded throughout Mesoamerica. The Olmecs left behind many architectural monuments and artifacts, for example, vessels for fish, a face mask made of jade and the head of the "African".
This fascinating article will tell you about other mysterious structures of the ancient world on thebiggest.ru.
8
Hittite Civilization (1600 - 1178 BC)
The Hittites are considered the first tribes who managed to mine iron and make weapons and tools out of it. Basically, the first Hittite settlements were in the territory of modern Turkey (Anatolia). Despite the broader framework for the existence of the Hittite kingdom, the heyday of their culture dates from 1600 - 1178 years BC. e. The power of the Hittites was directly dependent on the acquired skills in processing iron, which allowed the formation of the strongest army of that time.
And they are also credited with the invention of a war chariot, which for many years has become the main weapon in wars. At the peak of his power, the Hittite ruler Muwatalli II launched a military campaign against Egypt to seize the lands of modern Palestine and Syria. The war lasted about 15 years, culminating in the signing of a peace treaty, which became the first such document in the history of mankind.
The decline of the Hittite kingdom is associated with the concept of bronze collapse (the transitional period from the Bronze to the Iron Age), when the so-called peoples of the sea began their resettlement on the territory of the Egyptians and the Hittites, simultaneously conquering all warring settlements. The most significant role in ending the Hittite rule in Asia Minor was played by the Phrygians, who seized their lands in the 1200s BC. e.
7
Mayan Civilization (1200 BC - 900 CE)
Mayans were perhaps the most developed Mesoamerican civilization, having gone through a period of formation, prosperity and decline. Mayan prosperity dates back to 1200 - 250 years BC. e. Their settlements were located in the modern territories of Mexico, El Salvador, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. Maya Indians own the invention of hieroglyphic writing - the only one known in Mesoamerica.
In addition to manuscripts, Mayans are known for their calendar, which made a lot of noise at the end of 2012, because it was supposed to end in December, which many interpreted as a hint at the end of the world. In fact, everything turned out to be a myth or a misinterpretation of contemporaries. The Mayans were pagans, in their pantheon were about 160, each of which represented one aspect of everyday life.
The sunset period of this culture is dated 800 - 900 years BC. e. At this time, the tribes leave their stone cities. Scientists and historians still cannot agree on why this happened. Despite the collapse of the Mayan civilization, she left behind impressive architectural monuments and works of art. The Europeans who came after the discoveries of Columbus considered the local population savages, however, 3 out of 10 ancient civilizations on our list belonged to the American continents, which indicates the opposite.
6
Nubian civilization (2000 - 1000 BC)
Nubia was located on the territory of modern Egypt, Sudan and South Sudan. This African culture is the first large state of Inner Africa. The ancient Egyptians called their land the kingdom of Kush. You can safely call Kush the successor of the kingdom of Kerma, which competed on equal terms with Egypt, and was eventually conquered by one of the Egyptian pharaohs. Kush also clashed with his northern neighbor. During constant wars, they alternately seized each other's territories.
Now Nubia is covered with desert, but in the past there were fertile lands that were fed by the spilled Nile. The state was rich in minerals, gold and copper. It is noteworthy that Nubian women had almost equal rights with men. They could become politicians, and also participated in trade and war. There are known periods of the Kush kingdom when queens stood at the head of the state.
5
Ancient Chinese civilization (2070 BC - 500 years BC)
The Chinese are not only the largest nation in the world, but also one of the oldest. The "Yellow River" is considered the cradle of Chinese culture, so the name "Yellow Civilization" can often be found.
The birth of Chinese statehood and culture took place between the Yangtze and Yellow River. In 2070 BC e. a number of small Chinese villages were taken under control by a single government - the Xia Dynasty was born. It was founded by Yu the Great - one of the few Chinese emperors who was awarded the epithet Great. He spent more than 10 years of his life to “tame” the Yellow River, which caused irreparable harm to the villages, spilling from the shores. He was respected by the local population, which allowed the future emperor to create his own dynasty.
The reign of the Xia Dynasty of China lasted more than 400 years, until in 1600 BC. e. its last representative, Emperor Jie, was not overthrown by the Tang, which gave rise to the Shang Dynasty. Since then, the Chinese dynasties of rulers succeeded each other until the last of them collapsed in 1912. The last dynasty of the rulers of ancient China is the Han Dynasty.
4
Cretan-Minoan civilization (2600 - 1400 BC)
Minoan called the ancient Greek civilization of the Bronze Age, located on the island of Crete. The main city of the island was Knossos, where archaeologists found the ruins of the Minoan palace. The first person to discover traces of an ancient civilization in Crete was Arthur Evans.
The Minoans were renowned as experienced mariners, reaching the shores of many countries of the eastern Mediterranean for trade. Their main products were pottery and olive oil, skillfully produced by the inhabitants of Crete. They traded these goods for gold, copper and silver.
The causes of the collapse of the Minoan culture are still the subject of controversy among historians. Some believe that the Minoans were influenced by the growth of Mycenaean settlements, which absorbed the culture of the former. Others argue that natural disasters are to blame. Note that this is the only European civilization from the list of 10 ancient cultures of the world.
3
Civilization of Ancient Egypt (3100 - 332 years BC)
It is not an exaggeration to call Egyptian civilization the most famous and popular culture in the world. It originated on the banks of the Nile River - the longest river on the planet. The ancient Egyptians were several centuries ahead of their time, having achieved tremendous success in the fields of medicine, architecture and art. Their culture still affects society. Among the achievements of the Egyptians, mention should be made of mummification. This process of preserving the bodies of the dead in the form of mummies is called embalming. Only the rulers of Egypt or representatives of the elite could afford to save their bodies after death.
And also Ancient Egypt is famous for its pyramids built for the burial of mummies. The great pharaohs and their families found the last refuge in the pyramids. The complexity of the design of the pyramids suggests that the Egyptians paid great attention to the afterlife. The largest pyramid is the Cheops pyramid. Its construction took about 2 decades, thousands of slaves worked on the creation, and more than 2 million blocks of limestone were used as materials.
Without a doubt, the Egyptians "transferred" humanity to a new qualitative level.
By the way, you will definitely like an interesting article on thebiggest.ru about the highest pyramids on the planet.
2
Indian civilization (3300 - 1300 BC)
In some sources, Indian civilization can go in third place in antiquity, after Egypt. However, scientists were able to prove that the culture of the peoples of the Indus Valley developed earlier than the ancient Egyptian. This civilization is also called Harappan, and its origin occurred almost 5300 years ago. Indian civilization reached its peak in 2600 BC. e. It stretched for many kilometers along the Indus Valley, located in the modern states of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. Archaeologists managed to find the ruins of the ancient cities of the Harappan civilization, among which the largest was Mohenjo-Daro. It is located in modern Pakistan and literally translates as "the barrow of the dead." This settlement is considered one of the first cities in the history of mankind. The size of the city was approximately 200 hectares, which is 5 times the size of the Vatican.
Residents of the Harappan state have developed an effective drainage system that protects settlements from flooding, built many public baths and fresh water wells. The study of Mohenjo-Daro allowed historians to answer many questions about the structure of the social and economic life of Indian civilization.
1
Civilization of Ancient Mesopotamia (3500 - 500 years BC)
The oldest civilization in the world - Mesopotamia, was located on the territory of modern Iraq, Kuwait and Syria. It is rightfully considered the cradle of civilization, since it was in Mesopotamia that the first cities and empires appeared. The Greek word Mesopotamia means "between the rivers", so you can often find the name culture of Mesopotamia. Ancient Mesopotamia originated between the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, surrounded on both sides by the Persian Gulf and Asia Minor.
The region is part of the Fertile Crescent, rich land ideal for farming. Such conditions allow the development of many civilizations. It is worth talking about just a few cultures that succeed each other in Mesopotamia. Among them are the Babylonian, Sumerian, Akkadian and Assyrian civilizations. The most ancient was the kingdom of Sumer, which later merged with Akkad. The Sumerians are the leaders in the invention of the wheel and the construction of the ship. This allows them to trade with other nations, which ultimately forces them to come up with a calculation system to account for purchases and sales.
Due to the fertility of soils, the territory of Mesopotamia has always been a "tidbit" for the conquerors. Mesopotamia passed into the possession of various peoples, which had a positive effect on the development of mankind, as the Sumerian-Akkadian culture quickly spread and influenced future civilizations.
Finally
Historians will be presented with many more discoveries, and we are sure that traces of even more ancient civilizations that were at the origins of the formation of mankind will be found. And now we want to know your opinion, and also ask you to share your thoughts or knowledge about the oldest socio-political formations. You can write your thoughts in the comments to this article.