Historical Timeline

15000BC
Lascaux Cave
Aurochs painted in Lascaux Cave - magnificent wild cattle depicted in Hall of Bulls, showing their importance to Ice Age hunters
8000BC
Çatalhöyük
First cattle domesticated from aurochs - Near Eastern farmers tame aurochs, creating foundation of agricultural civilization
7000BC
Mexico City
Maize domesticated from teosinte in Mexico - beginning of corn cultivation that transforms civilizations
6500BC
Kazakhstan
Wild apples (Malus sieversii) evolve in Kazakhstan mountains - genetic ancestor of all cultivated apples, forests of 30-foot apple trees
6000BC
Georgia
Earliest wine production in Georgia - archaeological evidence of wine in clay qvevri vessels, beginning of viticulture
6000BC
Andes Mountains
Potatoes first cultivated in Andes Mountains - indigenous peoples develop hundreds of varieties, freeze-drying techniques (chuño)
4100BC
Armenia
Areni-1 winery in Armenia - oldest known winery with wine press, fermentation vats, storage jars, grape seeds
3000BC
Stonehenge
Stonehenge construction begins - Neolithic Britons begin building mysterious stone circle on Salisbury Plain
3000BC
Cyprus
Cyprus copper mining begins - island becomes primary copper source for Bronze Age, name 'copper' derives from 'Cyprus'
3000BC
Thebes
Egyptian wine production begins - tomb paintings show grape cultivation, wine jars labeled with vintage year and vineyard
2700BC
Mesopotamia
Abacus developed in Mesopotamia - first known calculating device using beads on rods for arithmetic
2500BC
Stonehenge
Stonehenge sarsen circle erected - massive stones arranged with astronomical alignments, purpose unknown
2500BC
Eastern Desert
Nubian gold mines established - Eastern Desert mines supply Egyptian wealth, inscriptions describe waterless 12-day journeys
2500BC
Shiraz
Shiraz becomes wine center - Persian wine production and trade expands, Shiraz grapes spread throughout ancient world
2333BC
Korea
Traditional founding of Gojoseon (Ancient Joseon) by legendary Dangun Wanggeom, grandson of heaven
2000BC
Cornwall
Cornwall tin mining begins - essential for bronze production, traded across Europe to Mediterranean
2000BC
Crete
Minoan wine culture at peak - elaborate wine vessels, palace wine storage, ritual wine drinking at Knossos
2000BC
Thebes
Cinnamon from Ceylon used in Egyptian embalming - spices worth more than gold, 3000-mile trade route already established
2000BC
China
Apples spread along Silk Road from Kazakhstan - traders carry seeds, natural hybridization creates sweeter varieties
Other places: Kazakhstan
1792BC
Babylon
Hammurabi becomes king of Babylon - begins 42-year reign that will transform city-state into empire
People: Hammurabi
1761BC
Babylon
Hammurabi conquers Mari - unifies most of Mesopotamia under Babylonian rule
People: Hammurabi
Other places: Mari
1754BC
Babylon
Code of Hammurabi promulgated - 282 laws carved on stele, 'eye for an eye,' first complete legal code
People: Hammurabi
1600BC
Zhengzhou
Tang of Shang defeats tyrant Jie, founding Shang Dynasty - first historically confirmed Chinese dynasty
People: Tang of Shang
1550BC
Santorini
Thera eruption - massive volcanic explosion destroys Santorini, tsunamis hit Crete, ash across Mediterranean
Other places: Akrotiri
1500BC
Eastern Desert
Peak of Nubian gold production - thousands die in Eastern Desert mines, gold funds Egyptian empire and monumental architecture
1500BC
Phoenicia
Phoenicians spread wine culture - export wine and vines throughout Mediterranean, establish vineyards in colonies
1500BC
Veracruz
Olmecs first cultivate cacao in Mexico - beans used as currency and to make bitter ceremonial drink
1500BC
Eleusis
Eleusinian Mysteries established - secret rites of Demeter and Persephone, promise blessed afterlife, death penalty for revealing secrets
1400BC
Thebes (Greece)
Cadmus slays the dragon of Ares - sows its teeth which spring up as warriors, founds Thebes (Greek chronicles)
1400BC
Delphi
Oracle site first sacred - Mycenaean worship at Delphi spring, Earth goddess Gaia venerated before Apollo
1391BC
Thebes
Amenhotep III becomes pharaoh - Egypt reaches zenith of artistic and international power
People: Amenhotep III
1353BC
Thebes
Akhenaten becomes pharaoh - marries Nefertiti, begins planning religious revolution
People: Akhenaten, Nefertiti
1350BC
Ashur
Ashur-uballit I establishes Assyrian independence from Mitanni - beginning of Middle Assyrian Empire
People: Ashur-uballit I
1346BC
Akhetaten
Akhetaten founded - Akhenaten moves capital to virgin site, dedicated to Aten, abandons Thebes
People: Akhenaten, Nefertiti
1344BC
Akhetaten
Aten declared sole god - Akhenaten closes temples of other gods, erases names, priests dispossessed
People: Akhenaten
1340BC
Akhetaten
Amarna art style flourishes - revolutionary naturalistic art depicts royal family intimately, elongated forms
People: Akhenaten, Nefertiti
1336BC
Akhetaten
Nefertiti disappears - either dies or falls from power, succession crisis begins
People: Nefertiti
1334BC
Akhetaten
Death of Akhenaten - 'heretic pharaoh' dies, Amarna period ends, monotheistic experiment fails
People: Akhenaten
1332BC
Thebes
Tutankhamun restores old gods - boy king returns capital to Thebes, reopens temples, appeases priests
People: Tutankhamun
1323BC
Thebes
Death of Tutankhamun at 19 - buried with unprecedented treasures, possible murder, end of Amarna line
People: Tutankhamun
1319BC
Akhetaten
Horemheb erases Amarna period - systematically destroys Akhetaten, removes names from records
People: Horemheb
Other places: Thebes
1307BC
Ashur
Adad-nirari I defeats Hanigalbat (remnant of Mitanni) - establishes Assyrian control over upper Mesopotamia
People: Adad-nirari I
1300BC
Anyang
Pan Geng moves Shang capital to Yin (Anyang) - stabilizes dynasty, beginning of late Shang period
People: Pan Geng
Other places: Yin
1274BC
Ashur
Shalmaneser I conquers Mitanni completely - Assyria becomes dominant power in northern Mesopotamia
People: Shalmaneser I
1250BC
Anyang
Wu Ding's reign at height - Shang territorial expansion, oracle bone divination systematized
People: Wu Ding
1250BC
Megadrought begins in Eastern Mediterranean - 150-300 year drought starts, worst of entire Bronze Age period
1244BC
Ashur
Tukulti-Ninurta I captures Babylon - first Assyrian to rule both Assyria and Babylonia
People: Tukulti-Ninurta I
1235BC
Kar-Tukulti-Ninurta
Tukulti-Ninurta I builds new capital Kar-Tukulti-Ninurta across from Ashur
People: Tukulti-Ninurta I
1225BC
Earthquake storm begins - 50-year period of major seismic activity across Mediterranean, destroying cities
1213BC
Thebes
Black peppercorns found in nostrils of Ramses II's mummy - pepper from India reaches Egypt, evidence of ancient spice routes