History traces the arc of humanity from the earliest hominin artifacts through post-medieval civilization and into what we call “Our Time.” It studies how ideas, cultures, technologies, and power structures evolve under real-world pressures. Dates are not arbitrary—they frame how we interpret meaning, continuity, and change.
World History: All
Early Wood tools
Imagined Image: The evolution of wooden tool use by early hominins. A walking stick around 3.3 million years ago, aiding mobility and providing defense. Small, sharpened sticks used for intricate tasks like termite extraction around 2.6 million years ago. Spears and digging sticks around 1.76 million years ago, vital for hunting and foraging. Advanced wooden constructs such as shelter frames and simple rafts emerge around 500,000 years ago. Hafted tools with stone-tipped spears around 300,000 years ago.
3.4 Million Years Ago
cognitive sequencing + motor precision + future modeling
Collective Learning Emerges
Collective learning, where a parent teaches a child, started long before primates, but something like our modern approach to showing our young how to live likely started about 3 million years ago, perhaps wit a species like australopithecus in a place like Kenya, Africa.
3.3 Million Years Ago
Early Stone Tools
3.3 Million BCE (Hominins)
Prefrontal Cortex Expansion, Internal 3D modeling
Human Thumb Evolves
3 Million Years Ago (+/- 400,000 years)
Genus: Australopithecus
2.9 Million BCI
Hominin, Us, From 4.2 to 2 MYA
Homo habilis: Our Intelligence Settles.
Image depicting an artistic reconstruction of Homo habilis in a prehistoric landscape of East Africa during the Pleistocene epoch about 2.3 million years ago.
2.3 Million BCE
Olduvai Gorge Site: A Glimpse into Early Organizational Behavior
Step back 800,000 years to the lush landscapes of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, where early humans pioneered the art of tool-making. This vivid scene captures a bustling workshop set among distinctive tuff cones and sedimentary pillars. Observe groups of early Homo species as they skillfully craft stone tools.
2 Million Years Ago (Up to about 15,000 years ago)
First Proto-Containers
Imagined Image: A collection of early hominin tools and natural containers showing primitive ingenuity. Items like this may have been used as early as 2 million years ago. From left to right: 1) A large leaf used to carry figs, symbolizing the earliest forms of portable storage. 2) A large shell serving as a collector of small items, highlighting the use of found objects for gathering. 3) A naturally hollowed-out piece of wood filled with root vegetables, demonstrating the use of natural formations as functional tools. 4) A piece of animal hide displaying simple tools like flint and a sharpened stick, illustrating the early development of tool-making and preparation skills.
2 Million Years Ago
Homo erectus: A True Omnivore
Image depicting two Homo erectus individuals at different stages of their evolutionary timeline. The first individual represents what Homo erectus might have looked like around 1.8 million years ago, and the second shows the species' features around 700,000 years ago, just before the transition towards Homo heidelbergensis.
1.9 Million BCE
Emergence of Early Hominin Shelters
Imagined image: three types of early shelters that Homo erectus might have constructed. 1) Simple Lean-to: Made from branches and large leaves, providing basic protection against elements. 2) Structured Windbreak: Constructed with tightly packed branches and possibly covered with animal hides for better insulation.
3) Rudimentary Hut-like Structure: Using interwoven branches and vines, with a base of large stones to anchor it.
1.8 Million Years Ago (+/- 500,000 years)
Earliest Known Toothpicks
Parietal bones and mandible of Homo habilis, OH 7 ("Johnny's Child"). This fossil, possibly from a 10- to 12-year-old male, was discovered in Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, and dates back 1.7 million years. As the holotype for Homo habilis, it played a key role in defining the species. This replica is from the Institute of Evolution in Africa, displayed in the "Cradle of Humanity" exhibition at the Archaeological Regional Museum of Madrid.
1.8 million years ago
Hand Axe
Hand axes: Humans started using them nearly 2 million years ago. These meticulously crafted tools exemplify the advanced technological skills and cognitive capabilities of early humans. Its sophisticated design and precise craftsmanship underscore a deep understanding of material properties and tool use.
1.76 Million BCE
Oldest Modern Human-like Footprints
1.52 Million BCE
1.53 to 1.51 Million BCE
Chimpanzee-Bonobo Split
The Congo River split chimpanzees and bonobos about 1.5 mya.
1.5 Million Years Ago (+/- 500,000 years)
Less Body Hair Emerges in Homo erectus
Imagined image of Homo erectus about 1 million years ago shortly after evolving to have less hair.
1.2 Million BCE
Supported by DNA evidence.
Homo antecessor: Earlier Modern Looks
1.2 Million BCE
Rapid Brain Growth
800,000 BCE
800,000 to 200,000 BCE
Fire-Altered Stone Tools
"<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55942692" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">File:Flint tools, Numbers 41-64 (Top left to bottom right) (FindID 132815).jpg</a>" by The Portable Antiquities Scheme, Adam Daubney, 2006-05-17 10:54:28 is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC BY-SA 2.0</a>
790,000 BCE
Genus Homo
Seasonal Settlements at Zhoukoudian site
Imagined image: Homo erectus around a communal fire pit, a similar setting to Zhoukoudian, circa 770,000 BCE.
770,000 BCE
from circa 770,000 BCE to circa 5700 BCE
Full Emotional Intelligence Emerges
700,000 Years Ago
Hominin World Population: 2 Million (speculative)
Imagined image depicting diverse hominin species roaming Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, circa 700,000 BCE.
700,000 BCE
Highly speculative. Based on rational analysis of the great apes.
Hyoid Bone: Speach Emerges
Imagined image depicting the evolution of vocalization and early speech in hominins. The illustration features Homo habilis, Homo erectus, and Homo heidelbergensis, each represented in a context that corresponds to their stage of communication development. This visual captures the progression from simple vocal sounds to more structured speech-like communications as these species evolved.
700,000 BCE
Homo heidelbergensis
Imagined image depicting two Homo heidelbergensis individuals at different stages of their evolutionary timeline. The first individual represents what they might have looked like around 650,000 years ago, and the second shows them around 440,000 years ago, just before the transition towards Homo sapiens and Neanderthals.
Circa 640,000 Years Ago
Homo heidelbergensis on Earth from about 640,000 to 200,000 BCE.
First Clothes: Proto-Clothing and the Advent of Garments
Imagined image depicting the evolution of early clothing among hominins. The image starts with a Homo erectus wearing very simple proto-clothing, such as basic animal skins or a simple decorative element like a bone or shell necklace. Progressing through the scene, an earlier Homo heidelbergensis or Homo antecessor is shown with slightly more advanced but still rudimentary clothing.
600,000 Years Age
Transcendental Intelligence Emerges
475,000 Years Ago
Neanderthal-Sapien LCA
Imagined image: Homo sapiens (center) might be a hybrid of two extict human species: Homo heidelbergensis and Homo antecessor. Left is heidelbergensis with its protruding jaw. Right is antessor with his small brain and flatter face.
440,000 Years Ago (+/- 40,000 years)
Homo neanderthalensis: Verified True Symbolic Thought
Neanderthals and Homo sapiens had a common Homo heidelbergensis ancestor about 440 millennia ago or a common Homo antecessor ancestor about 900 millennia ago.
430,000 BCE
On Earth from 430,000 to 29,000 BCE
Terra Amata Site, France
Imagined imaged of the 400,000-year-old structure likely built by Homo heidelbergensis in France located on the coast at the Terra Amata site in Nice, France. The shelter is estimated to be around 4-5 meters (13-16 feet) wide and 6-7 meters (20-23 feet) long. It's believed to have been constructed using a simple framework of wooden posts, with branches and leaves used to create a roof and walls.
circa 400,000 Years Ago
Nice, France
Oldest Surviving Spear
350,000 BCE
400,000 to 300,000 BCE
Homo naledi: A Likely Hybrid
Imagined image: Homo naledi. Left is circa 250,000 BCE. Right is circa 335,000 BCE. The later Homo naledi individual as appearing more human-like is somewhat speculative but can be supported by the evidence of their anatomical features and behaviors.
335,000 BCE
Human, but probably not our human branch.
Homo Sapiens: Advanced Transcendental Intelligence
Imagined image: two Homo sapiens males from different stages of human evolution are featured. The first figure represents Homo sapiens from about 300,000 years ago, and the second from about 100,000 years ago, each with distinct features representative of their times.
315,000 BCE
Hominin World Population: 2 Million (maybe)
300,000 BCE
Very speculative.
Venus of Tan-Tan
"<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72180942" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Museo de la Evolucion Humana Burgos - Tan Tan and Berekhat Ram Pebbles</a>" by Own work is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>
300,000 BCE
Africa; 300,000 to 500,000 years ago
Homo rhodesiensis: A Hybrid Lesson
Imagined Image: Homo rhodesiensis portrayal based on the limited skeletal remains from Kabwe, blends established fossil data with speculative reconstruction of soft tissues, reflecting an interpretative visualization of this ancient human species leaning toward modern facial features.
300,000 Years Ago
Survived from about 300,000 to 125,000 years ago.
Neanderthal-Denisovan Split
300,000 BCE
500 to 30 Thousand BCE
Bhimbetka Petroglyphs, Cupules
Cave are found in central India dated back to 290 thousand years ago has significant implications for the evolution of the human brain.
Before 290,000 BCE
Hominins; 290,000 to 700,000 years ago
Adam: Haplogroup A
Imagined image: Homo sapien couple, circa 275,000 years ago. Even as early as this, humans all over Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia essentially looked like we look now.
275,000 BCE
Extinction: Homo naledi
236,000 Years Ago
Extinction: Homo heidelbergensis
Imagined image: the last of the Homo heidelbergensis, circa 200,000 BCE.
200,000 Years Ago
Eve: Haplogroup L
Imagined image: Homo sapien couple, circa 175,000 years ago. By this time, humans all over Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia essentially looked like we look now.
175,000 BCE
200,000 to 150,000 BCE
Modern Human Looks and Brains
lover couple of caucasian male and female lay down at the beach relaxing
150,000 BCE
200,000 to 150,000 BCE
Homo longi: Rewriting Human Migration Narratives
Imagined image: Homo longi man with a modern Neanderthal-sapien appearance, featuring characteristic traits such as a large and broad face, pronounced brow ridges, and a big nose. This look is to reflect an earlier migration out of Africa.
146,000 Years Ago
Seasonal Settlements at Klasies River Caves
125,000 BCE
125,000 to 60,000 BCE
Extinction: Homo rhodesiensis
Imagined Image: Camp of Homo rhodesiensis around 125,000 years ago, set in a woodland area.
125,000 Years Ago
Many Early Out of Africa Migrations
120,000 BCE
130,000 to 100,000 BCE
Extinction: Homo Erectus
Imagined image of the last of the Homo erectus, circa 50,000 BCE. By this time, Homo erectus had lived in many parts of Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. Now, as their numbers keep dwindling, they are mostly in just a few spots in Asia.
112,000 Years (+/- 3000 years)
Extinction: Gigantopithecus
"<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55062736" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gigantopithecus</a>" by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Concavenator&action=edit&redlink=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Concavenator</a> is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>
"<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=89500749" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gigantopithecus mandible</a>" by James St. John is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC BY 2.0</a>
100,000 BCE
Earliest Known Prepared Burial, “Mtoto”
76,000 BCE
Blombos Cave Engravings
"<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=110908714" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Blombo</a>" by Chris S. Henshilwood is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>
75,000 BCE
World Population: 1.5 Million
By 70,000 BCE
The Sentinelese people on North Sentinel Island
The Sentinelese show that the modern human brain was fully evolved by at least 50,000 years ago.
70,000 BCE
circa 60 to 70 thousand BCE
Oldest Known Bracelet
70,000 BCE
2,880 Generations Ago
“The” Human DNA
Spiral strands of DNA on the dark background
70,000 BCE
2,800 Generations Ago
Successful Out of Africa Migration
70,000 BCE
Starting by 70,000 BCE
The Settlement of Australia
"<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=80962081" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Location Australasia cylindrical</a>" by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Emok&action=edit&redlink=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">(a) Blank map: Emok (b) Map content adapted from CIA World Fact Book via User:E Pluribus Anthony~commonswiki. That image is in the public domain because it contains materials that originally came from the United States Central Intelligence Agency's World Factbook.</a> is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>
65,000 BCE
Homo sapiens or an earlier Homo species
Extinction: Homo luzonensis
Imagined image: the last of the Homo luzonensis in the philippines circa 67,000 BCE. This is about 15,000 years before Homo sapiens arrive in the area.
65,000 BCE
Neanderthal Art: Symbolic Thought
Neanderthal art in Spain 64k BCE, before Homo sapien arrived.
Before 64000 BCE
Upper Paleolithic
Divje Babe Flute
50 to 60 Thousand BCE
Cuban Underwater City: More Research Needed
50,000 BCE
Speculative: 20 to more than 50 thousand years ago.
Extinction: Homo floresiensis
Imagined image: the last of the Homo floresiensis. This intriguing human species might have been the last descendents of Homo habilis or the Asian Homo erectus: the famed Dmanisi people.
48,000 BCE
58,000 to 48,000 BCE
Lebombo bone: First Lunar Phase Counter
The Lebombo Bone was potentially used as a lunar phase counter or a simple tally stick. The series of notches may represent a lunar calendar, which would imply that early humans were tracking lunar phases for either ritualistic purposes or as a practical method for keeping time, possibly related to menstrual cycles or seasonal changes.
42,200 BCE
44,200 to 43,000 years old according to 24 radiocarbon tests
Sulawesi Cave Art
"<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/40295335@N00/4409150010" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cave painting of wild pig, Leang-Leang, South Sulawesi</a>" by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/40295335@N00" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Joel Abroad</a> is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC BY-NC-SA 2.0</a>
circa 41,900 BCE
Phenotype Variation: Eye Shape and the Epicanthic Fold
circa 40,000 BCE
Upper Paleolithic Cave Art with Symbols
"<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/50193753@N02/5961953059" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lascaux II - Hall of The Bulls</a>" by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/50193753@N02" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Adibu456</a> is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC BY-NC 2.0</a>
circa 40,000 BCE
Spain & France
Extinction: Denisovans
Imagined image of the last of the denisovans in Siberia, circa 40,000 BCE.
40,000
Bone Flute
38,000 BCE
38,000 to 33,000 BCE
Venus of Hohle Fels
Venus of Hohle Fels figurine (height 6 cm (2.4 in)), which may have been worn as an amulet and is the earliest known, undisputed example of a depiction of a human being in prehistoric art.
38,000 BCE
38,000 to 33,000 BCE
Extinction: Neanderthals
Imagined image, circa 29,000 BCE. Left is a neanderthal; right is a Homo sapien.
38,000 BCE
Extinction range: 38,000 BCE to 22,000 BCE
Chauvet Cave Paintings
"<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/78953420@N00/988861704" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chavet cave horses</a>" by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/78953420@N00" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">jimforest</a> is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC BY-NC-ND 2.0</a>
30,000 BCE
Czeck: Dolní Věstonice Community
Around 30,000 years ago, the Dolní Věstonice community in the Czech Republic thrived. They built huts from mammoth bones and animal hides, crafted ceramic figurines, and engaged in hunting and daily activities.
30,000 BCE
29 to 32 thousand years ago.
Sunghir Burial Site
30,000 BCE
32,000 Years Ago
Advanced Sewing Needles
28,000 BCE
28,000 to 21,000 BCE
Modern Skin Color Variety Emerges
By 25,000 Years Ago (+/- 10,000 years)
Earliest Known Domesticated Animal: Dogs
Wolves were domesticated between 15 to 40 thousand BCE and evolved to a subspecies. Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are generally considered the same species as wolves (Canis lupus) but are classified as a subspecies.
By 20,000 BCE
Seasonal Settlements at Franchthi Cave
20,000 BCE
From circa 20,000 to 3,000 BCE
Ukraine: Mezhyrich Community
Mezhyrich archaeological site, 15 to 20 thousand years ago.
18,000 BCE
15 to 20 Thousand Years Agao
Seasonal Settlements at Monte Verde
circa 14,800 BCE
The Clovis Culture
"<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/76340031@N02/26453695844" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum</a>" by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/76340031@N02" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BLMUtah</a> is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC PDM 1.0</a>
circa 13000 BCE
The Invention of Bread
Assortment of baked bread
Before 14,400 BCE
Middle East
Tell Abu Hureyra
circa 11,500 BCE
Evidence of farming: rye seeds
World Population: 4 Million
10,000 BCE
Estimates range from 2 to 5 million
Neolithic Revolution
Trevethy Quoit a Portal Dolmen in Cornwall
9,700 BCE
Start of "our" Holocene geological epoch
Göbekli Tepe Culture (11000 BCE to 8000 BCE)
Start of heyday: circa 9600 BCE
Initial construction circa 11,000 BCE (13,000 years ago)
Plaster Invented
Photo by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/rikwebco-452946/?utm_source=instant-images&utm_medium=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">rikwebco</a> on <a href="https://pixabay.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pixabay</a>
before 9000 BCE
Corn
Glass Gem Flint Corn
Before 9000 BCE
Mexico
Jericho Founded
St Geaorge Monastery Desert
9000 BCE
Phenotype Variation: Blue Eyes
Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/@valeriya?utm_source=instant-images&utm_medium=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Valeria Boltneva</a> on <a href="https://pexels.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pexels</a>
8000 BCE
Genetic Mutation from the Neolithic Era
Mexico: Guilá Naquitz (Agrarian)
circa 8000 BCE
Americas Agrarian Society
The Domestication of Rice
Bali Rice Fields
circa 8000 BCE
China
Under Investigation: Yonaguni Monument
Yonaguni Monument Terraces midpart NWW
circa 8000 BCE (speculative)
Egypt: Nabta Playa (Agrarian)
circa 7500 BCE
Middle East Agrarian Society
Greece: Sesklo Culture (Agrarian)
circa 7500 BCE
Europe/Mediterranean Agrarian Society
Phenotype Variation: Lactose Tollerance
7500 BCE
Nüwa (女娲)
Nüwa, showing multiple possible portraits representing what Nüwa might have looked like. The scene includes ancient Chinese architecture, cultural elements, and symbols of her contributions, such as the creation of mankind and repairing the pillar of heaven.
Circa 8000-7000 BCE
Fuxi (伏羲)
Fuxi, showing multiple possible portraits representing what Fuxi might have looked like. The scene includes ancient Chinese architecture, cultural elements, and symbols of his contributions, such as the creation of humanity, the invention of writing, and teaching people to fish and hunt.
Circa 8000-7000 BCE
Ain Ghazal Statues: Early Plaster Art
circa 7200 BCE
Jordan
City of Catalhoyuk
7,100 BCE
7,100 to 5,700 BCE
China: Jiahu Settlement (Agrarian)
Imagined image: This panoramic image presents the Jiahu Settlement around 7000 BCE, capturing a vibrant Neolithic village in Henan, China. It features typical mud and wood homes with thatched roofs, nestled in a lush landscape where inhabitants are engaged in the early cultivation of rice, illustrating the dawn of agriculture in ancient China.
circa 7000 BCE
Asia Agrarian Society
New Guinea: Kuk Early Agricultural Site (Agrarian)
circa 7000 BCE
Oceana-Australasia Agrarian Society
Neolithic Symbols: China
Potential earliest writing in Asian zone: the Oracle Bone Script is oldest confirmed symbols. Scientists are still going through a process to verify whether they are proto-writing or a writing system. If we can discover some intermediate links, we can firm up these symbols as early writing.
7000 BCE
7000-6001 BCE
Beer, Ale, Wine
glass of beer, sausages and bread on the table
circa 7000 BCE
9,000 Years Ago
Zoroastrian Universe Creation Date
circa 7000 BCE
12,000 to 9,000 BCE (representing the start of 12,000 years)
Atlit Yam Neolithic Village
"<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/149617375@N05/31523297470" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">megalithic-atlit-yam</a>" by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/149617375@N05" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">dionisosolympian</a> is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC PDM 1.0</a>
6900 to 6300 BCE
Origins over 9,000 Years Ago
Early Sumer Civilization
6500 BCE
6500 through 1900 BCE
Oldest Known Flute in China
6,000 BCE
Cheese
Delicious Cheese board. Assortment of cheese, camembert, brie, Gorgonzola, parmesan, olives
Before 5500 BCE
Poland
Dispilio Tablet: European Proto-Writing
This ancient wooden tablet, etched with intricate symbols, dates back over 7,000 years, making it one of the oldest examples of proto-writing ever found.
circa 5,260 BCE
7,260 Years Ago
Vinor Circular Building: a roundel
Roundel, the Vinor Circular Building, featuring a modest height typical of Neolithic construction, a thatched roof, and entrances appropriate for the time. The image includes a cutaway to reveal the interior details.
4900 BCE
Up to 7,900 Years Ago (Neolithic)
Proto-Inca People
Pre-Inca People Village Around 4000 BCE: A hunter-gatherer village in the Andean highlands, depicting daily activities and simple huts harmoniously integrated with the mountainous terrain.
circa 4500 BCE
6,500 Years Ago
4004 BCE, The Bible’s Earth Creation Date
4,004 BCE
Sunday, October 23, 4004 BCE
Proto-Olmec People
Pre-Olmec People Village Around 3000 BCE: A depiction of a hunter-gatherer village with simple huts, showcasing the daily activities and harmony with nature in a tropical environment.
4000 BCE
6,000 Years Ago
3761 BCE, Judaic Earth Creation Date
3761 BCE
Man Made Glass
3500 BCE
Proto-Maya People
Pre-Mayan People Village Around 3000 BCE: A hunter-gatherer camp with natural-material huts, illustrating the communal lifestyle and activities in a tropical forest environment.
circa 3500 BCE
5,500 Years Ago
Cuneiform Writing
3400 BCE
3400 BCE to 100 CE (end of use for scholarly work)
Skara Brae Scottish Village
3180 BCE
3180 to 2500 BCE
3114 BCE: Mayan Earth Creation Date
3114 BCE
August 11, 3114 BCE
Oldest Known Dice: Skara Brae
3100 BCE
By 5,100 Years Ago
Fuente Magna Bowl: Forgery or Real?
"<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77550391" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bed965fdf8aa813b97735ea21a0e3cfc(1)</a>" by none is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>
3000 BCE
South America: 5,000 Years Ago
World Population: 15 Million
3000 BCE
Estimates range from 9 to 16 million
Shennong (神农)
Shennong showing multiple possible portraits representing what Shennong might have looked like. The scene includes ancient Chinese architecture, cultural elements, and symbols of his contributions, such as teaching agriculture and herbal medicine, set against a harmonious landscape with fields, crops, medicinal plants, and early farming practices.
circa 2800 BCE
The Divine Farmer
Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 BCE)
2700 BCE
188 Generations Ago
Gilgamesh, circa 2700 BCE
King of Uruk
The Yellow Emperor (Huangdi)
Ancient China during the time of the Yellow Emperor, featuring various possible portraits of what he might have looked like, along with symbolic representations of Yin and Yang, traditional architecture, and a harmonious landscape.
circa 2650 BCE (+/- 50 years)
King Shuruppak
No images of King Shuruppak exist. The best we can do is reimagine known aspects of Sumerian culture. This is a ziggurat typical of the time: one per each of the 30+ cities.
circa 2600 BCE
The Wise King
Indus Valley Script: Northwest India
"<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5243844" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">File:Indus seal impression.jpg</a>" by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IndusValleySeals.JPG" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">PHGCOM IndusValleySeals.JPG</a> is licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>
circa 2600 BCE
The Rise of the Maya Civilization
Aerial view of Chichen Itza
By 2600 BCE
First Mail, First Postal System
2400 BCE
Egypt
Oldest Known Library: Ebla
"<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57854047" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><div class='fn'> Proto-Cuneiform tablet: administrative account of barley distribution with cylinder seal impression of a male figure, hunting dogs, and boars. Probably from the city of Uruk.</div></a>" by null is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC CC0 1.0</a>
2350 BCE
2500 BCE to 2250 BCE
Noah’s Flood Myth
2348 BCE
Mayans Emerge
Mayan Society in Their Heyday: A vibrant Mayan city after 1000 BCE, with towering pyramids, temples, and rich cultural activities set in lush tropical surroundings.
Around 2000 BCE
4,000 Years Ago
Cretan Hieroglyphic script: Greek Island
"<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=141943738" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Phaistos Disc - Side B - 6381 - crop1</a>" by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:C_messier" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">C messier, edit by Bammesk</a> is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>
1900 BCE
from circa 1900 BCE to 1700 BCE
Proto-Sinaitic script
Used roughly between 1900 and 1500 BCE in the Sinai Peninsula by Canaanite-speaking peoples who adapted Egyptian hieroglyphs into the world’s first alphabetic script.
1900 BCE
1900-1500 BCE
Chocolate
Cocoa powder and cocoa beans
Before 1900 BCE
Mesoamerica
Code of Hammurabi
1755 BCE
Rigveda Samhita, Veda Book 1 of 4
1,700 BCE
148 Generations Ago
Dragons: Early Dinosaur Fossils
Mythical Creatures and Fossil Discoveries: The Roots of Ancient Legends. Many various ancient mythical creatures were likely inspired by fossil discoveries including Chinese dragons, Greco-Roman giants, griffins, cyclopes, and other mythical beasts.
By 1600 BCE
Olmec Society Emerges
A bustling Olmec city after 1600 BCE, featuring large stone heads, pyramids, and vibrant daily life activities amidst lush tropical vegetation.
Around 1600 BCE
3,600 Year Ago
The Lapita Culture
"<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/82032880@N00/15612056877" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">LapitaFragments</a>" by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/82032880@N00" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">profzucker</a> is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC BY-NC-SA 2.0</a>
1500 BCE
1500 BCE to 500 BCE
Minoan Frescoes at Knossos
"<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/41523983@N08/30547636456" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Minoan fresco depicting a bull leaping scene, found in Knossos, 1600-1400 BC, Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete</a>" by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/41523983@N08" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Following Hadrian</a> is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC BY-SA 2.0</a>
1400 BCE
circa 1700–1400 BCE
Frescoes of the Tomb of Nebamun
"<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71407159" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><div class='fn'> Tomb Of Nebamun Painting 1</div></a>" by <a href="https://500px.com/GeorgeL86" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">George Lodge</a> is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CC BY 3.0</a>
circa 1350 BCE
Oldest Known Monotheistic Religion: Atenism
In the ninth year of the reign of Akhenaten, he declared the traditional supreme God Aten to be the only God of Egypt with himself as the sole communicator to Aten. About the image: Akhenaton and Nefertiti seated, holding 3 of their daughters.
1344 BCE
circa 1340 to 1320 BCE
Phoenician Alphabet
1300 BCE
1500-1100 BCE
Oracle Bone Script: China
1250 BCE
Major Religion: Hinduism
Hinduism, one of the world's oldest religions, emerged around 1100 BCE, several centuries after the Indus Valley Civilization collapsed. Hinduism has no known roots in the IVC, but it's a topic to follow as we uncover clues.
1100 BCE (+/- 300 years)
125 Generations Ago
Olmec Hieroglyphs: Mexico
900 BCE
From before 900 BCE to 400 BCE.
Gargi Vachaknavi
Hindu god Ganesha on white wooden table. Candles on background
circa 800 BCE
Thales of Miletus (624 – 546 BCE)
Early or "First" Science
The Grandfather of Western Philosophy
The Birth of Logic
624 BCE
Circa 624-546 BCE
Library of Ashurbanipal
A conservative recreation of the exterior of the Library of Ashurbanipal, illustrating the architectural style of ancient Assyrian buildings. The image depicts a grand structure on a raised platform, adorned with carvings and motifs characteristic of Assyrian art. While the depiction includes speculative elements, such as the building's size and detailed adornments, it aims to capture the historical significance and imposing presence of this legendary library in the heart of Nineveh.
Built circa 700 BCE, destroyed 612 BCE.
Laozi
Laozi or Lou Tzu (604-517 BCE). Founder of Daoism, aka Taoism. The life of Laozi is shrouded in mystery, but he is the first philosopher in “30 Philosophers” that attempts to construct a precise biography.
b. circa 604 BCE
By tradition, 604-517 BCE
Spherical Earth
Realistic Earth Planet against the the star sky
600 BCE
New Look: The Flood Stories
The Great Flood myths: Sumerian and the biblical story of Noah's Ark.
600 BCE
New Look
Pythagoras (570-495 BCE)
Pythagoreanism
Father of Mathematics
Confucius
b. 551 BCE
551 to 479 BCE, aged 72
Gautama Buddha
Subhrajyoti07, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
b. circa 563
circa 563 to 486 BCE
Heraclitus
RoyFokker, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
born circa 535 BCE
circa 535 to 475 BCE, likely aged about 60 years old
Anaxagoras (circa 500-428 BCE)
500 BCE
circa 450 BCE
Socrates (469 – 399 BCE)
Portrait of Socrates. Marble, Roman artwork (1st century), perhaps a copy of a lost bronze statue made by Lysippos
Socratic Questioning
Father of Western Ethics
Democritus (460 BCE – circa 370 BCE)
Two and a half millennia ago, Democritus imagined atoms in the void — long before microscopes, equations, or particle accelerators confirmed the intuition.
Atomist
The Laughing Philosopher
Law of the Twelve Tables
451 BCE. Law of the Twelve Tables. Think well by remembering that law is not just rules. It is one of society’s great methods for forcing claims into the open.
451 BCE
Plato
b. 428 BCE
428 to 347 BCE
Aristotle
Portrait of Aristoteles. Copy of the Imperial era (1st or 2nd century) of a lost bronze sculpture made by Lysippos
b. 384 BCE
384 to 322 BCE
Chuang Tzu (369-286 BCE)
Daoism
Pyrrho of Elis
b. 360 BCE
360 to 270 BCE
Epicurus
Roman marble copy of a 3rd-century BCE Greek original, likely created before 1st century CE.
b. 341 BCE
341 to 270 BCE
Zeno of Citium (334-262 BCE)
Stoicism
Father of Stoicism
The Foundation of the Maurya Empire
322 BCE
Wake of Alexander the Great
Cicero (106-43 BCE)
106 BCE
84 Generations Ago
Philo of Alexandria
b. circa 20 BCE
circa 20 BCE to circa 55 CE
Seneca the Younger (4 BCE – 65 CE)
Stoic Tradition
Roman Stoic Statesman
Earliest Known Magnification
crystal lens ball in a woman’s hand, with a refracted view of a misty country lane
65 CE
Epictetus (50-135 CE)
circa 100 CE
78 Generations Ago
Marcus Aurelius
born 121
121 to 180 CE
RCW 86 Supernova
galaxy, cosmos, physical, science fiction wallpaper. Deep space.
185 CE
Verified. Historically documented and empirically validated.
Badarayana
sand sculpture of Ganesha in Hinduism, the god of wisdom and well-being with the head of an elephant
circa 300 BCE to 200 CE
Augustine of Hippo
born 354
354 to 430 CE
Al-Farabi
born 872
872 to 950
Alhazen
born 965
965 to 1040
Word-Spacing
Use grammar to strengthen clarity, not to suffocate communication. Before about 1,000 CE, we didn't even have spaces!
1000 CE
The Five Senses of Humans
Olfaction or Sense of Smell Study.
Circa 1020
New Look
Bernard of Chartres (circa 1070 – 1130)
There are no surviving images of
Bernard of Chartres. As a scholastic, the best we can do is an artistic representation of scholasticism.
Neoplatonist
French Philosopher
Peter Abelard
born 1079
1079 to 1141
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat
1150
Inca Society Emerges
Inca Society in Their Heyday: A bustling Inca city after 1400 CE, featuring stone buildings, terraced fields, and vibrant cultural life set in the lush Andes mountains.
Around 1200 CE
Magna Carta
1215
The Māori Settlement of New Zealand: Earliest Known
Photo by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/2651624-2651624/?utm_source=instant-images&utm_medium=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2651624</a> on <a href="https://pixabay.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pixabay</a>
1300
Upper and Lowercase Starts
On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres by Nicolaus Copernicus, 1543. By this groundbreaking book, the widespread adoption of modern punctuation had evolved.
1300 CE
Hourglass
Hourglass on the Beach
1400
Printing Press Invented
The printing press gave journalism reach, making public scrutiny possible at a larger scale.
1440
Germany
Guru Nanak
born 1469
1469 to 1539
Nicolas Copernicus
No confirmed likeness survives. These portraits are later artistic interpretations.
born 1473
Lived 1473 to 1543, aged 70.
Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592)
28 Feb 1533
Francis Bacon
born 1561
1561 to 1626
Galileo Galilei
Portrait of Galileo at about 74. He included a copy in his 1638 Two New Sciences book.
born 1564.
Lived from 1564 to 1642, aged 77.
Microscope Invented = Microworld Discovered!
Various bacteria cells in microscope. Streptococcus pneumonia, p
1590 to 1640 CE
Rene Descartes
1596-1649
The Birth of Baroque Art
Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@birminghammuseumstrust?utm_source=instant-images&utm_medium=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Birmingham Museums Trust</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Unsplash</a>
circa 1600 CE
Late 16th to Early 18th Century
Roger Williams
Detail of Roger Williams Landing Place monument in Slate Rock Park aka Roger Williams Square, Providence Rhode Island.
born circa 1602
circa 1602 to Mar 1683