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.
Newgrange constructed in Ireland c. 3200 BC.
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

Environmental changes

Based on studies by glaciologist Lonnie Thompson (professor at Ohio State University and researcher with the Byrd Polar Research Center) http://www.news-about-space.org/story/2409.html 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

External references

3200 BC Climate Change

-6 -6 da:4. årtusinde f.Kr. de:4. Jahrtausend v. Chr. es:IV milenio adC fr:IVe millénaire av. J.-C. it:IV millennio AC lb:4. Joerdausend v. Chr. hu:I.e. 4. évezred nl:4000-3500 v. Chr. ja:紀元前4千年紀 pl:IV tysiąclecie p.n.e. pt:Quarto milénio a.C. ru:4 тысячелетие до н. э. ur:3000مقم