Ancient history: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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'''Ancient history''' is a [[time period]] from the [[History of writing|beginning of writing]] and recorded [[human history]] through [[late antiquity]]. The span of [[recorded history]] is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with the development of [[Sumerian language|Sumerian]] [[cuneiform]] script and continuing until the [[Early Muslim conquests|expansion of]] [[Islam]] in [[late antiquity]]. Ancient history covers all continents inhabited by humans in the period 3000 BC{{Snd}}AD 500.<ref name=weller-stearns>{{cite book |editor=R. Charles Weller |title=21st-Century Narratives of World History: Global and Multidisciplinary Perspectives |publisher=Palgrave |chapter=Periodization in World History: Challenges and Opportunities |last=Stearns |first=Peter N. |author-link=Peter N. Stearns |year=2017 |isbn=978-3-319-62077-0}}</ref> The [[three-age system]] periodizes ancient history into the [[Stone Age]], the [[Bronze Age]], and the [[Iron Age]], with recorded history generally considered to begin with the Bronze Age. The start and end of the three ages vary between world regions. In many regions the Bronze Age is generally considered to begin a few centuries prior to 3000 BC, while the end of the Iron Age varies from the early first millennium BC in some regions to the late first millennium AD in others.

During the time period of ancient history, the [[world population]] was already [[Exponential growth|exponentially increasing]] due to the [[Neolithic Revolution]], which was in full progress. While in 10,000 BC, the world population stood at 2 million, it rose to 45 million by 3000 BC. By the Iron Age in 1000 BC, the population had risen to 72 million. By the end of the ancient period in AD 500, the world population is thought to have stood at 209 million. In 10,500 years, the world population increased by 100 times.<ref name="mnp.nl">[http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0959683609356587 Data] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210060052/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0959683609356587 |date=10 December 2019 }} from [http://themasites.pbl.nl/tridion/en/themasites/hyde/index.html History Database of the Global Environment.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227200550/http://themasites.pbl.nl/tridion/en/themasites/hyde/index.html |date=27 February 2018 }} K. Klein Goldewijk, A. Beusen and P. Janssen, "HYDE 3.1: Long-term dynamic modeling of global population and built-up area in a spatially explicit way", from table on p. 2, Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP), Bilthoven, The Netherlands.</ref>

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[[Prehistory]] is the period before written history. Most of our knowledge of that period comes from the work of archaeologists.{{sfn|Parker|2017|p=16}} Prehistory is often known as the [[Stone Age]], and is divided into the [[Paleolithic]] (earliest), [[Mesolithic]], and [[Neolithic]].{{sfn|Roberts|Westad|2013|pp=22–31}}

The [[early human migration]]s in the [[Lower Paleolithic]] saw ''[[Homo erectus]]'' spread across [[Eurasia]] 1.8 million years ago.{{sfn|Hart-Davis|2012|p=18}} Evidence for the use of fire has been dated as early as 1.8 million years ago, a date which is contested,{{sfn|Hart-Davis|2012|p=17}} with generally accepted evidence for the controlled use of fire dating to 780,000 years ago. Actual use of hearths first appearedappears 400,000 years ago.{{sfn|Wiesner-Hanks|2015|p=19}} Dates for the emergence of ''[[Homo sapiens]]'' (modern humans) range from 250,000{{sfn|Wiesner-Hanks|2015|p=26}} to 160,000 years ago,{{sfn|Hart-Davis|2012|p=19}} with the varying dates being based on [[DNA study|DNA studies]]{{sfn|Wiesner-Hanks|2015|p=26}} and [[fossil]]s respectively.{{sfn|Hart-Davis|2012|p=19}} Some 50,000 years ago, ''Homo sapiens'' migrated out of [[Africa]]. They reached [[Australia]] about 45,000 years ago, southwestern [[Europe]] about the same time, southeastern Europe and [[Siberia]] around 40,000 years ago, and [[Japan]] about 30,000 years ago. Humans [[migration to the New World|migrated to the Americas]] about 15,000 years ago.{{sfn|Parker|2017|pp=36–37}}

Evidence for [[agriculture]] emerges in about 9000 BC in what is now eastern [[Turkey]] and spreadsspread through the [[Fertile Crescent]].{{sfn|Wiesner-Hanks|2015|pp=45–46}} Settlement at [[Göbekli Tepe]] began around 9500 BC and may have the world's oldest temple.{{sfn|Parker|2017|p=44}} The [[Nile River Valley]] has evidence of [[sorghum]] and [[millet]] cultivation starting around 8000 BC and agricultural use of [[Yam (vegetable)|yam]]s in Western Africa perhaps dates to the same time period. Cultivation of millet, [[rice]], and [[legume]]s began around 7000 BC in [[China]]. [[Taro]] cultivation in [[New Guinea]] dates to about 7000 BC also with [[Cucurbita|squash]] cultivation in [[Mesoamerica]] perhaps sharing that date.{{sfn|Wiesner-Hanks|2015|pp=45–46}} [[Animal domestication]] began with the [[domestication of dogs]], which dates to at least 15,000 years ago, and perhaps even earlier. [[History of the domestic sheep|Sheep]] and [[Evolution of domestic goats|goats]] were domesticated around 9000 BC in the Fertile Crescent, alongside the first evidence for agriculture. Other animals, such as [[pigs]] and [[poultry]], were later domesticated and used as food sources.{{sfn|Wiesner-Hanks|2015|pp=48–49}} [[Cattle]] and [[water buffalo]] were domesticated around 7000 BC and [[Domestication of the horse|horses]], [[donkey]]s, and [[camel]]s were domesticated by about 4000 BC. All of these animals were used not only for food, but to carry and pull people and loads, greatly increasing human ability to do work. The invention of the simple [[plough]] by 6000 BC further increased agricultural efficiency.{{sfn|Wiesner-Hanks|2015|p=54}}

Metal use in the form of hammered [[copper]] items predates the discovery of [[smelting]] of [[copper ore]]s, which happened around 6000 BC in western Asia and independently in eastern Asia before 2000 BC. [[Gold]] and [[silver]] use dates to between 6000 and 5000 BC. [[metal alloy|Alloy]] metallurgy began with [[bronze]] in about 3500 BC in [[Mesopotamia]] and was developed independently in China by 2000 BC.{{sfn|Parker|2017|p=45}} [[Pottery]] developed independently throughout the world,{{sfn|Wiesner-Hanks|2015|pp=55–56}} with fired pots appearing first among the [[Jomon]] of Japan and in West Africa at [[Mali]].{{sfn|Hart-Davis|2012|p=38}} Sometime between 5000 and 4000 BC the [[potter's wheel]] was invented.{{sfn|Wiesner-Hanks|2015|pp=55–56}} By 3000 BC,{{sfn|Roberts|Westad|2013|pp=59–60}} the pottery wheel was adapted into [[wheeled vehicle]]s which could be used to carry loads further and easier than with human or animal power alone.{{sfn|Wiesner-Hanks|2015|pp=55–56}}