Timeline Chronology: 3 kya
Ancient History
3100 BCE
- King Menes rules over a united Egypt made up of Upper (southern) and Lower (northern) Egypt
- first appearance of writing
3100-2890 BCE
- First dynasty of Egypt. Early Dynastic Period begins (to c. 2686 BCE)
3000-2500 BCE
- Andean farmers grow potatoes and quinoa, and raise alpacas and llamas
3000-2334 BCE
- Early Dynastic Period in Mesopotamia; City-states such as Ur, Uruk, and Eridu flourish in Sumer
3000 BCE
- Dawn of Minoan civilization on Crete
- Bronze Age underway in western Asia (c. 3200–1200 BCE)
- Evidence of copper-working in southern France
2900-2400 BCE
- Wooden structures built at Stonehenge ceremonial complex
2900 BCE
- Sumerians in southern Mesopotamia.
- Cuneiform script develops in Sumer, Mesopotamia
2800-2700 BCE
- First ceremonial centers develop in South America along coast of Peru
2800 BCE
- beginning of the Indus Valley civilization; Harappa; Mohenjo-Daro.
2750 BCE
- First bronze artifacts found in China
2686-2613 BCE
- Third dynasty of Egypt starts with King Sanakht
2686 BCE
- Old Kingdom period, an era of powerful kings, begins in Egypt (lasts until c. 2181 BCE)
2667-2650 BCE
- Step Pyramid built at Saqqara,Egypt, for King Djoser (r. 2667–2648 BCE)
2613-2494 BCE
- Fourth dynasty of Egypt; includes the pyramid-building pharaohs Khufu, Khafra, and Menkaura
2600 BCE
- Rulers of Ur buried in royal graves;
- according to legend, reign of King Gilgamesh;
- ceremonial centers, such as Caral, built in coastal Peru
- plow in use in the Indus Valley
2589 BCE
- Construction of three pyramids begins at Giza, Egypt (completed c. 2504 BCE)
2500 BCE
- Outer circle of stones erected at Stonehenge, Britain
- Bronze Age begins in Europe, with earliest bronze artifacts discovered in Poland
- Bronze Age in Italy: villages on stilts (terramare) in the north, seasonal villages in the south dedicated to pastoralism or trade, Nuragic civilization in Sardinia
- Bell Beaker culture spreads in Western and Central Europe
- Longshan culture in China produces pottery, bronze, and silk
- Ur a major center of manufacturing
- Old Kingdom Period continues in Egypt
- Ebla, Mari, and other cities in Syria and the Levant emerge
- Mature phase of Indus civilization emerges
- Indus script emerge
- Evidence of long-distance trade routes in South America
- Ceremonial centers, Aspero and Kotosh, continue to be built in coastal Peru and Andes
2400 BCE
- Eannatum of Lagash rules areas of Sumer
- All stones erected at Stonehenge ceremonial complex in southwest Britain
2350-2150 BCE
- Akkadians; Sargon; Naram-Sin.
2350 BCE
- Lugalzagesi of Umma unites all Sumer
2345-2181 BCE
- Sixth dynasty of Egypt founded
c. 2334–2316 BCE
- Sargon of Akkad conquers Sumer to create world’s first empire
c.2300 BCE
- Bronze Age begins in southern Europe, in Italy and the Balkans
2278–2184 BCE
- Reign of Pepy II of the Sixth dynasty in Egypt
2205 BCE
- Xia dynasty founded in eastern China by Yu the Great, according to Chinese tradition; said to have ruled until 1766
c. 2181 BCE
- Sixth dynasty and Old Kingdom period ends in Egypt after natural disasters weaken authority of rule
- First Intermediate Period begins to 2040 BCE
2180-2055 BCE
- First Intermediate Period in Egypt.
2150 BCE
- Gutians defeat Akkadians; city-states of Mesopotamia, such as Lagash, reassert independence
- Nubian kingdom emerges south of Egypt, based at Kerma on Third Cataract
2112–2095 BCE
- Reign of Ur-Nammu of Ur reunites much of Mesopotamia; rebuilds Ur’s temple as a ziggurat
2112 BCE
- Third Dynasty of Ur, founded by Ur-Nammu (to 2004 BCE)
2110-2003 BCE
- Neo-Sumerian monarchy; Ur III; Code of Ur-Nammu.
2055 BCE
- beginning of the Middle Kingdom in Egypt.
2050 BCE
- Emergence of the Minoan palace civilization, Crete
2040 BCE
- Nebhepetre Mentuhotep of Thebes defeats rivals to unite Egypt
- Mentuhotep founds a new capital at Itj-Towy near Memphis; Middle Kingdom begins
2004 BCE
- City of Ur falls to Elamites, ending dynasty of Ur
2003-1792 BCE
- Amorite kingdoms of Isin and Larsa.