Oldest Civilization In The World

Oldest Civilization In The World: Mesopotamia is the oldest civilization in the world. The four oldest civilizations in the world are the Mesopotamia Civilization, the Egyptian Civilization, the Indus Valley Civilization, and the Chinese Civilization. Civilization means the existence of a complex society with certain features, such as the development of the state, social stratification, urbanization, and symbolic communication systems beyond natural spoken language, namely a writing system.

Read below to learn about the oldest civilizations of the world, including Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Indus Valley, and Mayan civilizations, in-depth.

Oldest Civilizations in The World

Overview on Mesopotomian Civilization

Aspect	Overview
Name	Mesopotamian Civilization
Location	Present-day Iraq, Kuwait, parts of Syria, Turkey, and Iran
Time Period	Approx. 3500 BCE – 500 BCE
Major Cities	Ur, Uruk, Babylon, Nineveh
Writing System	Cuneiform script on clay tablets
Religion	Polytheistic with gods such as Anu (sky god), Enlil (god of wind and storm), and Inanna (goddess of love and war)
Government	City-states ruled by kings; later, empires such as Akkadian and Assyrian emerged
Achievements	– Invention of the wheel and writing system (cuneiform) – Development of advanced irrigation techniques – Architectural marvels such as ziggurats – Advancements in mathematics and astronomy – Legal code of Hammurabi
Economy	Agrarian-based economy with agriculture (irrigation farming), trade (barter system), and craft specialization
Decline	Various factors contributed to the decline, including invasions, internal conflicts, environmental degradation (salinization of soil), and the fall of major empires such as the Akkadian and Babylonian empires.
Legacy	– Influence on subsequent civilizations in the region – Contributions to human knowledge and culture, including law codes, literature, astronomy, and mathematics – Inspiration for the development of later civilizations such as Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome

Oldest Civilization in the World – Mesopotamia Civilization (4000 BCE – 6000 BCE)

Mesopotamia is the oldest civilization in the world. Mesopotamia is located between two rivers: the Tigris and the Euphrates. Mesopotamia means’meso’ meaning between and ‘potamos’ meaning river.

• In the present day, Mesopotamia is now a part of Iraq. Today, the region is in the following countries: Iraq, Kuwait, Turkey, and Syria.

• Early people lived in small settlements for thousands of years and slowly transformed into a scattered farming community around 8000 BCE. Built on fertile land, agriculture soon developed along with the domestication of animals. These communities soon expanded into cities, with Uruk being the first one around 3500 BCE. At its peak, it was home to approximately 50,000 people.

• Famous for its advancements in the fields of astronomy, mathematics, and literature. It is also known for its lucrative trade and the establishment of industries like masonry, metalwork, and leatherwork.

• It is also said by some historians that the Mesopotamians came up with the invention of the wheel.

• It was a very prosperous region.

• Sumerian was the language that was initially used in the Mesopotamian civilization.

• Later on, it was gradually replaced by the Akkadian civilization.

Egyptian Civilization (3150 BCE–30 BCE)

When King Menes—the first pharaoh—unified regions of Upper and Lower Egypt in 3150 BCE, the Ancient Egyptian Civilization was established.

• For most of the time, the Egyptian people gathered alongside the banks of the Nile River, as its rich soil was suitable for growing crops. Ancient Egyptian civilization owes its success to its ability to adapt to the conditions of the Nile valley for agriculture.

• Ancient Egypt was a part of present-day Egypt, a civilization of ancient North Africa.

• Ancient Egyptians can be defined as a civilization of “firsts.” They are known for making advancements in the fields of mathematics and medical science.

• Waterways were used as trade routes, first by them. They made tools from bronze. It’s fascinating to know that they were also the first people to use toothpaste and wear wigs.

• Hieroglyphics was the writing system of the Egyptians. They developed the first phonetic alphabet, which was widely used due to papyrus paper being invented, which in turn led to the development of the first postal system.

• The Egyptian rulers built massive monuments to showcase their power. For instance, the Great Pyramid of Giza, which is one of the 7 Wonders of the World,.

• As a result of numerous wars and invasions, this ancient civilization was slowly replaced over time.

Indus Valley Civilization (3300 BCE–1900 BCE)

The Harappan Civilization, popularly known as the Indus Valley Civilization, is the most widespread civilization of the Ancient World, extending from modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan to north-west India. The earliest Harappan people gathered around the Indus River’s basin, establishing farming settlements at first. Important Indus Valley Civilization sites are: Harappa, Dholavira, Rakhigarhi, Mohenjodaro, Ganweriwala, Lothal, Kalibangan, Surkotada, etc.

Indus Valley Civilization

Many of the cities in the Harappan civilization were divided into two or more parts. The eastern part of the city was lower but larger in size. The western part of the city was higher, but it was smaller in size. This is known as the Citadel.

Indus Valley Civilization (Harappan Civilization)

It is said that people of the Indus Valley Civilization used to worship nature (mother goddess) and yoni, which were also seen as signs of fertility, along with fire, and animals like the ox and unicorn were worshipped as well. Pashupati Mahadev was known as the lord of the animals. Apart from this, the Priest King is also quite popular.

Harappan Civilization: Urban Planning

The streets of the Harappan civilization were aligned with well-planned cities that had a proper system of waste disposal, lighting, drainage, and water supply. It had a well-structured drainage system. Each house had a proper drainage system that was connected to the streets’ drains.

Houses in the cities were well planned. Materials used for building purposes were bricks, which were either sun-dried or baked. Houses had separate bathing areas. The houses had one or two stories.

It is said that the local people had a writing system that has not been deciphered to date. The Harappans were also great mathematicians. But what is striking is that archaeologists have found no traces of warfare or mass violence. It is estimated that they lived without armor and weapons for more than 700 years. They were a group of peaceful people who traded amicably with neighboring civilizations. Perhaps it was their disinterest in war that led to their downfall at the hands of Central Asian invaders. Other historians, however, claim the decline of the Harappan civilization was due to a great flood.

Mayan Civilization (2600 BC–900 AD)

The present-day region of Yucatan is the location where the Mayan Civilization began, a prime civilization of the Central American region. They are credited with making the solar calendar that is engraved on a stone. The civilization declined somewhere in the middle of the 8th and 9th centuries, though the exact reasons are not known to date.

Chinese Civilization (7000 BCE–5700 BCE)

Written records from the earliest times show that Chinese history dates back to as early as 1250 BCE. Starting with the Shang Dynasty during Wu Ding’s reign. The Jiahu settlement, located in the central plain of ancient China, is today known as the Henan Province. Many artifacts can be found here, along with pottery and tools, which are indicated by people having uncovered records of the earliest examples of Chinese writing and proof that they were producers of the world’s oldest wine.

One of the most remarkable Chinese discoveries was the bone flute, considered to be the oldest working musical instrument. Typically carved from the wing bone of a crane, these flutes were most likely used in special ceremonies.

The Chinese settlement’s decline began around 5700 BCE when the nearby rivers overflowed and flooded the area. It is assumed that the Jiahu people left their home to settle elsewhere, even though there is no indication as to where that might have been.

Initially, while humans were evolving, they had the practice of living together in a congregation. Things happened as a result of interdependence and mutual understanding. This made life useful and quite practical. Man shifted from small, isolated groups to living in large communities. This is how societies came up and how the oldest civilization in the world began. Mesopotamia is the oldest civilization in the world. The four oldest civilizations in the world are Mesopotamia Civilization, Egyptian Civilization, Indus Valley Civilization, and Chinese Civilization. The rise of agriculture and trade, which resulted in surplus food and economic stability, marked the beginning of most of these civilizations.

Oldest civilization in the World – FAQs

Define civilization.

A civilization means the existence of a complex society that has certain features, such as the development of the state, social stratification, urbanization, and symbolic systems of communication beyond natural spoken language, namely a writing system.

What are the four oldest civilizations?

The four oldest civilizations in the world are Mesopotamia Civilization, Egyptian Civilization, Indus Valley Civilization, and Chinese Civilization.

Which civilization is defined as a civilization of “firsts” and why?

Ancient Egyptians can be defined as a civilization of “firsts” because of the following reasons: (a) They are known for making advancements in the fields of mathematics and medical science.

(b) Waterways were used as trade routes, first by them. They made tools from bronze. It’s fascinating to know that they were also the first people to use toothpaste and wear wigs.

(c) Hieroglyphics was the writing system of the Egyptians. They developed the first phonetic alphabet, which was widely used due to papyrus paper being invented, which in turn led to the development of the first postal system.

Which civilization developed in India?

The Harappan Civilization, popularly known as the Indus Valley Civilization, is the most widespread civilization of the Ancient World, extending from modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan to north-west India. The earliest Harappan people gathered around the Indus River’s basin, establishing farming settlements at first.

Were the Harappans peaceful?

A striking feature is that archaeologists have found no traces of warfare or mass violence. It is estimated that Harappans lived without armor and weapons for more than 700 years. They were a group of peaceful people who traded amicably with neighboring civilizations. Perhaps it was their disinterest in war that led to their downfall at the hands of Central Asian invaders.