BC
Contents
2.5-3 million years BC
Beginning of Early Stone age
1-3 million years BC
Australopithecus lives in southern Africa
90 000 - 1 million years BC
Homo erectus lives in southern Africa
±30 000-130 000BC
Evolution of Homo sapiens in southern Africa
Middle stone age
±25 000 – 26 000 BC
Earliest dated rock art
Stone age hunter gatherers evolve in southern Africa
±10 000-15 000 years BC
Scattered groups of hunter-gatherers (Khoisan) settle as sole residents in Southern Africa (till ±1AD), gradually evolving a pastoral culture among some groups (i.e. the Khoi-Khoi), while others remained hunter-gatherers (i.e the San)
In Mesopotamia, society shifts from food-gathering to food-producing
±6000BC
Hassuna culture introduces irrigation, permanent dwellings and fine pottery
±5000BC
Area between Babylon and Persian Gulf settled. Trade develops between Persian Gulf and Mediterranean.
±3500BC
Sumerians settle on banks of Euphrates. They develop pictographs to keep administrative records.
±3300-3100BC
Early records of San ritual / trance dances and communal narratives in rock paintings
Egyptians introduce calendar, hieroglyphs, Memphis built. Egyptian ritual dramas, the “Pyramid Text” rituals; Ramessun Dramatic Papyrus. Coronation plays.
±3100-3000BC
Early Dynastic period in Egypt. Coloured mosaics used by Sumerains, e.g. at the Painted Temple at Tell Uqair.
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