Current era

Paleolithic

Early Holocene10,000 BCE – 7,000 BCE

Neolithic & Early Farming Societies7,000 BCE – 4,000 BCE

Chalcolithic & Early Urban Societies4,000 BCE – 3,000 BCE

Early Bronze Age3,000 BCE – 2,000 BCE

Middle Bronze Age2,000 BCE – 1,600 BCE

Late Bronze Age1,600 BCE – 1,200 BCE

Early Iron Age1,200 BCE – 500 BCE

Classical Antiquity500 BCE – 300 CE

Late Antiquity300 CE – 600 CE

Early Medieval Period600 CE – 1,000 CE

High Medieval Period1,000 CE – 1,300 CE

Late Medieval Period1,300 CE – 1,500 CE

Early Modern Period1,500 CE – 1,600 CE

Seventeenth-Century World1,600 CE – 1,700 CE

Enlightenment & Imperial Expansion1,700 CE – 1,789 CE

Age of Revolutions & Early Industrialization1,789 CE – 1,850 CE

Industrialization & Imperialism1,850 CE – 1,914 CE

World Wars & Interwar Period1,914 CE – 1,945 CE

Cold War & Decolonization1,945 CE – 1,991 CE

Contemporary World1,991 CE – 2,025 CE

Human evolution, dispersal, and diverse hunter-gatherer societies

300,000BCE–10,000BCE

100000 BCE, Global

The earliest humans developed clothing from animal skins, furs, and plant fibers to protect themselves from the elements and aid survival.

culture

74000 BCE - 73800 BCE, Indonesia

The Toba supereruption was one of the largest volcanic events in the last 2 million years, occurring on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.

culture

70000 BCE - 50000 BCE, Israel

Groups crossed through the Arabian Peninsula into Asia and later into Europe and Oceania. This migration established the first human populations outside Africa and shaped the genetic and cultural development of all later societies.

culture

65000 BCE - 50000 BCE, India

Humans migrate into South Asia, occupying the Indian subcontinent with lithic and genetic evidence of early populations.

culture

55000 BCE - 45000 BCE, Thailand

Humans follow coastal routes into Southeast Asia, settling in areas such as modern-day Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

culture

50000 BCE - 45000 BCE, Australia

Humans reach Sahul (Australia and New Guinea) via island-hopping, establishing some of the earliest known human populations outside Africa and Eurasia.

culture

45000 BCE - 40000 BCE, Bulgaria

Modern humans entered Europe via the Levant and Balkan routes, encountering Neanderthals and adapting to temperate climates.

culture

45000 BCE - 30000 BCE, China

Populations spread north from Southeast Asia into East Asia, reaching China, Korea, and Japan with early stone tool cultures.

culture

40000 BCE - 20000 BCE, Global

This event marks the emergence of artistic expression among early humans, with cave paintings and carvings that reflect their environment and beliefs.

40000 BCE - 30000 BCE, Global

This event marks the period when Neanderthals, a close relative of modern humans, thrived across Europe and parts of Asia, showcasing unique cultural and survival skills.

environment

35000 BCE, Global

The discovery of ancient flutes made from bird bones and mammoth ivory marked a significant development in early human culture, showcasing the artistic capabilities of Paleolithic societies.

art

35000 BCE - 15000 BCE, Russia

Humans continue north into Siberia, adapting to cold steppe and taiga environments, laying the groundwork for eventual entry into Beringia.

culture

30000 BCE, Global

This event signifies the development of complex communication systems among early humans, allowing for the sharing of ideas and culture.

culture intellectual

30000 BCE, Global

Early humans practiced intentional burials, often with grave goods, signaling emerging cultural and religious beliefs about death and the afterlife.

culture religion

30000 BCE - 2000 BCE, France

The earliest known daggers date to the late Upper Paleolithic, often made from flint or bone.

culture