Four large irrigatiob civilizations emerged in the 3rd millennium B.C. - EGYPT on the river NILE, MESOPOTAMIA on the EUPHRATES and
TIGRIS, the INDUS RIVER CIVILIZATION and the CHINESE CIVILIZATION on the middle HWANGHO. Often, MESOAMERICA (here mainly the
MAYA) is also regarded one of the early civilizations, although it did not emerge on the banks of a river and it appeared considerably later.
Reasons why these civilizations have been regarded the first civilizations include the monuments and documents they left behind.
B.) Egypt
The GREAT PYRAMID of Egypt is one of the largest constructions ever built by man - and it was built c. 2500 B.C., original height 147 m from
its base, consisting of 2,300,000 blocks of 2.5 tons each, was an impressice structure of the MEGALITHICUM (= large stone age). As was
STONEHENGE, built around the same time in England, with even heavier blocks (up to 40 tons). Yet Stonehenge England is not counted among
the early civilizations, as we have no written documentationfor the coming two millennia, while we have a rich literature in Egypts HIEROGLYPH
script, as well as a rich architectural heritage (OBELISKS, temples, statues, the SPHINX). Thanks to Frenchman JEAN-FRANCOIS DE
CHAMPOLLION and the ROSETTA STONE (a stone with a text inscribed in three languages - Greek, Demotic and Hieroglyph) we are able to
read the Hierogluph script which was discontinued in the early centuries A.D., when Egypt's ancient religion was replaced by Christianity.
Egypt was unified by legendary PHARAOH (= god-king) Menes, c. 3100 B.C.; MEMPHIS was founded as the capital for it was located on the border
of LOWER (= the Nile Delta) and UPPER EGYPT. Egypt remained a united state throughout most of her history. Pharaohs were regarded gods,
who usually married their sisters (because it was regarded unfit for them to marry mere mortals).
Egyptian civilization, like the Chinese, regarded herself the most advanced and paid little attention on her neighbors; diplomatic relations with
Mesopotamia only gained importance in the middle of the 2nd millennium B.C. Egyptian civilization was POLYTHEISTIC and heavily emphasized the
AFTERLIFE. Persons of high standing - not only pharaohs - were concerned for their afterlife. Their bodies were preserved as MUMMIES and
elaborate burial sites (pyramids, grave-chambers hewn into the rock etc.) were built.
C.) Mesopotamia
The SUMERIANS, a people regarded of non-Semitic origin, are credited with the invention of the CUNEIFORM script, believed to be the oldest.
The Sumerians lived in city-states located in lower Mesopotamia : UR, URUK (=Erech), Lagash, kish, Nippur. The city states were dominated
by huge pyramid-style constructions called ZIGGURATs; the bible (tower of Babylon) describes such a ziggurat, which functioned as the palace,
main temple, granary, school, obersvatory and fortress in one. In Mesopotamia the building material were clay bricks; as they deteriorate over
time, the remnants of ziggurats are less impressive than those of Egypt's pyramids.
The cuneiform script (used until the 1st century A.D.) also has been cracked and so we are able to read the cuneiform CLAY TABLETS which
have been found in large numbers. They reveal that the Sumerians (Mesopotamians) were not so much focussed on the afterlife (they were also
polytheists), but more interested in trading. A very interesting story is the EPIC OF GILGAMESH, a Sumerian king who, after the death of his best friend,
searches for the secret of eternal life and on his quest meets Utnapishtim, the last survivor of the great flood.
D.) Indus River Civilization
In 1922 large settlements dating back to 2,600 B.C. have been excavated at HARAPPA and MOHENJO-DARO. Only the (still impressive)
fundaments are left, mostly clay constructions. The civilization has been called INDUS RIVER CIVILIZATION. Seals with inscriptions have been
found; the script remains undecoded. Harappa is larger than contemporary cities in Egypt and Mesopotamia; yet any impressive buildings
cmpatible to Egypt's pyramids or Mesopotamia's ziggurats have not been identified. The Indus River Script was discontinued in use around
1900 B.C.; around 1500 B.C. the region was conquered by the ARYANS.
E.) China
As in China, the main building material was wood, only certain artefacts have survived. China had a script, the use of which seems to have been
limited to religious and oracular inscriptions.
F.) Mesoamerica
The Mesoamerican civilization has a number of astonishing similarities to Egypt - similar architectire (pyramids), a culture placing an emphasis on
the afterlife, a hieroglyphic script (very different from the Egyptian hieroglyphs, though). The Maya civilization, like that of the Sumerians, consisted of
warring city states. The OLMEK civilization is dated beginning around 1000 B.C., the Maya civilization around Jesus Christ's lifetime, which is
roughly the time when the first maya pyramids were built. Among major differences, as compared to Egypt, were the extensive HUMAN SACRIFICES
the Mayan gods required (the Mayans also were polytheists).
Recently the decoding of the Maya script makes great progress; probably we will know more about the Maya civilization soon.
This page is part of World History at KMLA Last revised on September 10th 2001
