Evolution of Man and Civilization | CE 002

Scientists of the present day believe that the universe was born from a huge colossal super natural explosion called Big Bang that happened around 13.6 billions of years ago. Uncountable and huge matter particles and gases were spontaneously created in an unimaginable temperature which were subsequently gradually cooled down to form the universe in the form we know them now. It has been accepted by the scientists that the earth was born around 4,600 million years ago.

It is believed that the first microscopic life symbol of the earth was bubbled around 3,500 million years ago in ocean water in the form of bacteria and algae. Paleozoic era is a time span of 570 to 245 million years ago when first form of creatures like amphibians were evolved on the earth. This era ended in ice age when half of the earth got covered in ice. Mesozoic era is a time span of 245 to 65 million years ago when reptiles were dominating creatures on the earth. This era ended when much of land area of the earth got covered in dust owing to a giant meteorite crashing with the earth. Cenozoic era is a time span of 65 million years ago to now when different types of mammals are in a dominating seat of the earth.

During the process of evolution, around 4 million years ago, a section of Quadrupedal creatures of the land experienced the most important transformation of being bipedal. Such transformed bipedal creatures and their most recent ancestors of that time are altogether called Hominids. A distinguished species of the hominids group with better brain is the first form of human being and is called Australopithecus. It first appeared in Africa around 4 million years ago. A recently discovered fossil of such an Australopithecus man (actually a female one) has been named as Lucy.

The evolution of hominids from its closer primates took place in and around 4 million years ago in Africa. Fossil evidences reveal that at least two species of hominids called Australopithecus and Homo were there around 2 million years ago. Homo habilis, the next generation of Homo and the first tool making hominid, was survived in 2.3 to 1.8 million years ago. Homo erectus, the upright man and the first fire user, was the next evolution who left Africa.

About 500,000 years ago, Homo sapiens, the successor of Homo erectus, became successful to spread themselves in many parts of the earth. Later on, two specific species called Homo sapiens sapiens and Homo sapiens neanderthals were evolved from Homo sapiens in a little chronological difference. Peoples of these two species lived with a lot of human activities. They used to live in caves or in outdoor shelters to keep them safe, eat roasted or semi-processed foods and were accustomed to lingual expressions in suitable languages. Homo sapiens neanderthals existed between 120,000 and 40,000 years ago and gradually diminished out. But Homo sapiens sapiens succeeded to survive against all calamities and ultimately reached a stage of what we now call a human being. In this way, the human being was evolved in present day Africa and spread themselves out all over the globe. The spreading out of man all over the globe was completed around 40,000 years ago.

Man is thus became the newest creature on the earth. And this newest form of creatures had to first practice the mutual dependency on each other for the safety of all. Secondly, they learned to cooperate and collaborate with each other for good living - in the form of talking and exchanging help with each other. Gradually they got accustomed to live in the form of an organised conglomerate which we now call a society. Societies of different parts of the earth learned with time the easiest way of daily living which we now call agriculture and cattle farming. Dependency on agriculture and cattle farming compelled the man to realize the importance of land and river. In a natural way, small societies of equal culture clubbed themselves together to be flourished as a civilization – which was obviously on the bank of a river

Sheer necessity of survival compelled all civilizations not only to cultivate crop but also to dominate over each other through competition and conflict. This dominating attitude inspired them to acquire more and more knowledge on various subjects. Human being has an inherent quality of curiosity. This quality coupled with their struggle for existence compelled them to realize that knowledge is power. Accordingly, scientific knowledge on astronomy, writing, reading, counting, measurements and others began to culminate.

Some notable ancient civilizations of the earth are Egyptian civilization in Egypt, Sumer, Babylonian and Assyrian civilization in Mesopotamia, Chinese civilization in China, Indus Valley civilization in India, Greek and Roman civilization in Europe, Inca civilization in Peru, Minoan civilization at Crete Island, Persian civilization in Persia, Olmecs civilization in Mexico, Chavin civilization in Central America, Polynesian civilization in Pacific Ocean, Semite civilization in Arab etc. A few of the above are further discussed below.

Egyptian civilization was flourished in c.3000 – 500 BC at the fertile bank of river Nile in Egypt of the present. The then Egypt was famous for their religious beliefs and cultures, administrative and military efficiency, effective techniques of agriculture and irrigation and obviously for their deep knowledge on chemistry, medicine, mathematics, geometry and astronomy. The preservation of a dead body as a mammy is still an astonishing process to us. The great pyramids of Giza, ruins of which are still present at present Egypt, are the notable contributions of this civilization.

Sumer civilization is the first civilized society of the world. It was flourished in c.4500 – 2000 BC in a fertile land between rivers Euphrates and Tigris in southern Mesopotamia in Iraq of now. The people of it were very expert in agriculture and crop production. The technological innovations of this legacy include the first known wheeled vehicle (chariot) and potter’s wheel. But the most important contribution is the creation and development of writing and reading and counting technique. A 60 based counting system was developed by the Sumerians. Although the system was not much successful for general counting since 59 numbers of different nomenclatures had to be memorized, it is still in use at present for measurement of angles in the form of degree, minute and second.

After decline of Sumer rule, Babylonia was emerged as an empire with its capital at Babylon. It was founded by its great ruler Hammurabi. Babylonian civilization was flourished in c.2000 – 500 BC between rivers Tigris and Euphrates in central southern region of Mesopotamia at Iraq of the present day. Babylon achieved supremacy during the rule of king Nebuchadnezzar II when it was the largest city in the world that contained many temples and the world famous hanging garden.

Assyrian civilization may have originated in 3rd millennium B.C but was flourished in c.1500 – 500 BC at the upper region of river Tigris in West Asia ranging from Palestine to Anatolia of the present. The city of Ashur was the capital of this civilization. Assyrians were first famous as warriors but later developed their skills in stone based art, sculpture and paintings.

Chinese civilization consists of a continuous steady history of around 2000 years ranging from c.2200 – 200 BC. It was first originated probably at the fertile valley of river Huang He and afterwards got spread over a very big boundary. From inception, Chinese people possess a very distinguished writing and counting system and an interesting calendar of their own. This civilization is also famous for their contribution to astronomical observations. But the most important contribution of it is the 9000 kms long Great Wall of China for which a myth says that it is the only man made structure visible from the Moon.

A scattered rural civilization with symbols of cultivation have been found near Mehergarh of present Pakistan. Archaeologists opine that this civilization existed between 8000 and 3000 BC. This is known as Mehergarh civilization. It was completely rural in nature.

As a consequence of it, Indus Valley civilization was flourished in 3300 - 1300 BC in which the peak period has been resolved from 2600 to 1500 BC. It was flourished at the plateau of River Indus and Saraswati at the North West part of Indian subcontinent. Ruins of sites reveal that it was a fully urbanized civilization. Many sites of Indus Valley civilization have been found in different parts of India and Pakistan. Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa in Pakistan, Kalimantan at Punjab and Lethal in Gujarat are a few examples. Highly planned cities with brick built houses, roads and drainage system have been found in all sites of this civilization.

A further consequence of it is Vedic civilization which is assumed to have been flourished in 1500 - 500 BC at the plateau of Indus and other six rivers of North West part of Indian subcontinent. The most precious of this time is the vast knowledge on almost every subject of life composed in various literatures of that time. However, a doubt and debate still remain ambiguous and unclear as to how did Vedic civilization revert back to a rural society after enjoying a fully urbanized society for a long 2000 years prior to that !

Please Subscribe and Share.