A TIMELINE FOR THE PLANET
THE AGE OF
MODERN HUMANS
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Birth To put things in perspective -- age of
hominids is in orange (very nearly zero on this scale)-------------↓ of
planet 4 (kMy) 3 2 1 now |__________|____________________|____________________|____________________|___________________| age of hominids is in orange, age of modern humans is in red -------------------------↓
4 (My) 3 2 1 now
|__________|____________________|____________________|____________________|_______________|___| |
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|
Years ago |
Events |
Climate |
‘Epoch’ |
|
300,000 |
first
huts more |
|
|
|
200,000? |
(dates
uncertain)
modern humans and Neanderthals appear |
rapid |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
smaller |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(modern humans still
living the primitive lifestyle |
cycles, |
|
|
|
of their
forebears) |
|
|
|
|
(ditto, the
Neanderthals) |
|
|
|
|
|
getting |
|
|
|
(neither
makes much impact) |
|
|
|
|
|
gradually |
|
|
150,000 |
First
evidence of long-distance trade |
|
|
|
|
|
colder |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
& more |
|
|
130,000 |
dogs domesticated? (DNA
evidence)
|
|
|
|
|
|
extreme |
|
|
120,000 |
use of pigments
widespread |
|
|
|
|
|
Inter- |
Pleisto- |
|
|
|
glacial |
cene |
|
|
|
|
Period |
|
100,000 |
first evidence of
accounting (scribed stone pieces) |
|
|
|
|
|
rapid |
(1.6My
|
|
90,000 |
modern
humans reach Eurasia, evidence of mining |
|
–
10ky) |
|
|
|
smaller |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
75,000 |
clothing invented,
earliest beads |
cycles, |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
60,000 |
|
getting |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
50,000 |
(or
40k) modern
humans change gear, &
reach Europe. |
gradually |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
40,000 |
(@
same time) dawn of ‘advanced’
culture in Europe (both us and |
colder |
|
|
|
Neanderthals) |
|
|
|
30,000 |
cave paintings in Europe. Neanderthals die out |
& more |
|
|
|
weaving invented |
|
|
|
20,000 |
Glacial
Maximum |
extreme |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,000 |
huge
rise in sea-level, the Flood, agriculture, boats |
warm
& |
Post
|
|
|
first major civilisation
(Egypt) |
|
ice-age |
|
0 |
steam harnessed Industrial revolution |
variable |
era |
[Notes
are also available on: the rise
of language
the
dawn of agriculture
the
dawn of civilisation
the
great post ice-age flood
the
coming of sail
The
Wheel
The
metal ages
the
invention of writing
the
Industrial revolution
the
coming of Steam]
©
C B Pease, Sept 07