Early Civilizations

We remember the Neolithic and Paleolithic Times by the idea of "Cave Conjecture". Since writing from early man has not been found, archaeologists have pieced together the lifestyle of early man based on found artifacts. Early man sought shelter in caves (which included a water source), showed a keen understanding of animal anatomy through the detailed paintings in caves such as Lascaux and understood that the role of the female was important to survival of the human species.

As man transitioned from being nomadic hunter gatherers to farmers and herders they established permanent dwellings. With these permanent dwellings, they looked to create communities and establish themselves. Humans became civilized through this process as, within their communities, which they fortified, they developed a division of labor, a written language, a set of laws, established a centralized religion and traded (established commerce).

Civilization began in areas near water. The main early civilized human devleopment is traced in the Ancient Near East along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, in Africa (Egypt) along the Nile River, in China along the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys and in India in the Indus River Valley.

Many stories have been written about China. The large span of the Chinese Empire mirrors the expansiveness of the Roman Empire. China's customs are different from Western tradition with which many of us are familiar. Perhaps reading a little about China will help you become more familiar with the the large ancient empire and a global power today. for a list of interesting books about China, check out 20 Essential Chinese Novels by Bachelors Degree Online.