6th millennium BC

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(7th millennium BC - 6th millennium BC - 5th millennium BC - other millennia

1st millennium - 2nd millennium - 3rd millennium

During the 6th millennium BC, agriculture spreads from the Balkans to Italy and Eastern Europe and from Mesopotamia to Egypt. World population is essentially stable at ca. 5 million people.

Contents 1 Events 2 Environmental changes 3 Inventions, discoveries, introductions 4 Cultural landmarks 4.1 References

Events

• c. 6000 BC – split of Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Anatolian and Proto-Indo-Iranian in India as a result of Proto-Vedic continuity. ^[1]
• c. 5900 BC – prehistoric Vinca culture emerges in today's Belgrade.
• c. 5760 BC – The volcano [[Puy-de-D�me (mountain)|Puy-de-D�me]] erupts.
• c. 5600 BC – Beginning of the desertification of North Africa, which ultimately lead to the creation of the Sahara desert. It's possible this process pushed some natives into migrating to the region of the Nile in the east, thereby laying the groundwork for the rise of Egyptian civilization.
• c. 5600 BC – The Red Paint People become established in the region from present-day Labrador to New York state.
• 1 September, 5509 BC - The Byzantine calendar dates creation.
• c. 5500 BC - agriculture started in Ancient Egypt.
• c. 5450 BC – Volcano Hekla eruption.
• c. 5400 BC – Irrigation in Mesopotamia.
• c. 5200 BC – Beginning of human inhabitation and settlements in Malta.
• c. 5000 BC - Farming reached Europe.

Environmental changes

• c. 7000 BC – Beginning the Holocene climatic optimum
• c. 5600 BC – According to the Black Sea deluge theory, the Black Sea floods with salt water. Some 3000 cubic miles (12,500 km�) of salt water is added, significantly expanding it and transforming it from a fresh-water landlocked lake into a salt water sea.

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

• c. 6000 BC - Cycladic people started to use a coarse, poor-quality local clay to make a variety of objects.
• Agriculture appears in the valley of the Nile.
• Rice cultivated in Asia.
• Plough invented.
• Bricks are created for the first time in Persia.
• Wine is created for the first time in Persia.
• Artifacts of stone were supplemented by those of metal, and the crafts of basketry, pottery, weaving (Africa).
• Dead were buried in a fetal position, surrounded by the burial offerings and artifacts, facing west (Africa).
• Decorated, black-topped clay pots and vases; bone and ivory combs, figurines, and tableware, are found in great numbers (Africa).
• Jewelry of all types and materials (Africa).
• Objects began to be made not only with a function, but also with an aesthetic value. (Africa)
• Organized, permanent settlements focused around agriculture. (Africa)

Cultural landmarks

• c. 5700 BC – Samarran Culture at Mesopotamia (present day Iraq) begins (ca 5700 BC � 4900 BC C-14, 6640 BC - 5816 BC calBC).
• c. 5500 BC – pottery at Mehrgarh in South Asia.
• 5100s BC – Temples founded in South Mesopotamia.
• Mediterranean Old European cultures.

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References

• Adapted from the Wikipedia article, "6th millennium BC" http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/6th_millennium_BC July 26, 2003, updated November 29, 2006