4th millennium BC

(5th millennium BC – 4th millennium BC – 3rd millennium BC – other millennia)

Events

• City of Ur in Mesopotamia (40th century BC).
• Naqada culture on the Nile, 4000–3000 BC.
• Civilization of Crete (38th century BC).
• Epoch of the modern Hebrew Calendar occurred on 7 October 3761 BC.
• Jewish chronology dates Creation to 25 September or March 29 3760 BC.
• Civilization of Sumeria, cities-state (36th century BC).
• First to Fourth dynasty of Kish in Mesopotamia.
• The Maya calendar dates the Creation of the Earth to August 11 or August 13, 3114 BC (establishing that date as day zero of the Long Count 13.0.0.0.0).
• Epoch of the Kali Yuga occurred at midnight (00:00) on 18 February 3102 BC, the traditional death of Krishna (Hindu mythology).

Cultures

• Sumer
• Yamna
• Vinca culture

Environmental changes

Based on studies by glaciologist Lonnie Thompson (professor at Ohio State University and researcher with the Byrd Polar Research Center) [1] a number of indicators shows there were a global change in climate 5,200 years ago:

• The climate was altered suddenly with severe impacts.
• Plants buried in the Quelccaya ice cap in the Peruvian Andes demonstrate the climate had shifted suddenly and severely to capture the plants and preserve them until now.
• A man trapped in an Alpine glacier ("Oetzi") is frozen until his discovery in 1991.
• Tree rings from Ireland and England show this was their driest period.
• Ice core records showing the ratio of two oxygen isotopes retrieved from the ice fields atop Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro, a proxy for atmospheric temperature at the time snow fell.
• Major changes in plant pollen uncovered from lakebed cores in South America.
• Record lowest levels of methane retrieved from ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica.
• Beginning of desertification of Sahara (35th century BC). The shift by the Sahara Desert from a habitable region to a barren desert.

Significant persons

• Ur-Nina first king of Lagash (ca. 34th century), the earliest historical person known by name.
• Ötzi the Iceman lived c.3300 BC.

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

• The belief that heads of state represented God on Earth began. See Divine Right of Kings.
• Beginnings of urbanisation in Mesopotamia with the Sumerians.
• First cities in Egypt (35th century BC).
• First writings in the cities of Uruk and Susa (cuneiform writings). Hieroglyphs in Egypt.
• Kurgan culture of what is now southern Russia and Ukraine domesticates the horse and develops the chariot.
• Potter's wheel used in Middle East.
• Sails used in the Nile.

Cultural landmarks

Centuries

• 40th century BC
• 39th century BC
• 38th century BC
• 37th century BC
• 36th century BC
• 35th century BC
• 34th century BC
• 33rd century BC
• 32nd century BC
• 31st century BC

External references

• 3200 BC Climate Change