85 replies to this topic

[Liang Jieming]

B.C.

square sail ships (ca. 3000 B.C. Square-sailed ships in Egypt.)
concept of a city (ca. 3300 B.C. First Sumerian cities.)
wheel (ca. 3200 B.C. Wheeled vehicles appear in Uruk.)
written language (Sumer)
recurve bow (Mesopotamia - Akkadia?)
First codes of law (Sumer)
Oldest existing structure in the world (ca. 3000-1500 B.C. Stonehenge is built in England.)
Bronze (ca. 2500 B.C. Bronze develops in Mesopotamia.)
Horse riding (ca. 1700 B.C. Horse riding develops on the Eurasia steppes.)
Iron (ca. 1400 B.C. Iron working develops in the Middle East.)
Olympic Games ( 776 B.C. The beginnings of the Olympic Games in Greece.)
Concept of democracy (ca. 594-508 B.C. Development of Athenian Democracy.)
Circumnavigation of Africa (ca. 500 B.C. First recorded circumnavigation of Africa by Phoenicians.)

[hansioux]

B.C.

square sail ships (ca. 3000 B.C. Square-sailed ships in Egypt.)
concept of a city (ca. 3300 B.C. First Sumerian cities.)
wheel (ca. 3200 B.C. Wheeled vehicles appear in Uruk.)
written language (Sumer)
recurve bow (Mesopotamia - Akkadia?)
First codes of law (Sumer)
Oldest existing structure in the world (ca. 3000-1500 B.C. Stonehenge is built in England.)
Bronze (ca. 2500 B.C. Bronze develops in Mesopotamia.)
Horse riding (ca. 1700 B.C. Horse riding develops on the Eurasia steppes.)
Iron (ca. 1400 B.C. Iron working develops in the Middle East.)
Olympic Games ( 776 B.C. The beginnings of the Olympic Games in Greece.)
Concept of democracy (ca. 594-508 B.C. Development of Athenian Democracy.)
Circumnavigation of Africa (ca. 500 B.C. First recorded circumnavigation of Africa by Phoenicians.)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Really? Stonehenge? I thought there were structures in Egypt that predates the stonehenge.

[tianzhuwoye]

Orientalism.






As-salaamu 'alaykum yaa ahlal-qubuuri. Rest in Peace, Edward.

[Liang Jieming]

Really? Stonehenge?  I thought there were structures in Egypt that predates the stonehenge.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think the jury might be divided on this one.

The stonehedge is believed to be made out of a series of structures, each added over centuries. The oldest is the inner most ring which is very, very old. This is the part that is believed to predate the Egyptian structures. The outer rings of the stonehenge are later day additions. The Egyptian civilisation began around 3000 B.C. which is around the time this inner ring was first erected.

Though the Egyptians were older than the stone age dwellers of prehistoric Britain, nothing of the early years has been found that survived to this day. The Great Pyramid of Giza was built ca. 2680 B.C. We have to wait as archeologists continue to sift the sands of Egypt. Who knows, maybe they might find older stuff. (or maybe they already did and I'm out of date in my knowledge!)

[Norseman]

I have always wondered how they built stonehenge?

cranes surely did not exist at that time

[hansioux]

I think the jury might be divided on this one.

The stonehedge is believed to be made out of a series of structures, each added over centuries.  The oldest is the inner most ring which is very, very old.  This is the part that is believed to predate the Egyptian structures.  The outer rings of the stonehenge are later day additions.  The Egyptian civilisation began around 3000 B.C. which is around the time this inner ring was first erected.

Though the Egyptians were older than the stone age dwellers of prehistoric Britain, nothing of the early years has been found that survived to this day.  The Great Pyramid of Giza was built ca. 2680 B.C.  We have to wait as archeologists continue to sift the sands of Egypt.  Who knows, maybe they might find older stuff.  (or maybe they already did and I'm out of date in my knowledge!)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Giza pyramid is by no means the oldest structure discovered in Egypt.

Unless the arugment is for the oldest "stone structure" then maybe stonehenge wins the case, since the early Egyption buildings and those Ziggarates in Iran and Iraq were normally built in Mud Bricks.

[caocao74]

Giza pyramid is by no means the oldest structure discovered in Egypt.

Unless the arugment is for the oldest "stone structure" then maybe stonehenge wins the case, since the early Egyption buildings and those Ziggarates in Iran and Iraq were normally built in Mud Bricks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And then Stonehenge is predated by quite some centuries by the now non-existent circle of Woodhenge (yes, you guessed it, made of wood rather than stone).

[caocao74]

I have always wondered how they built stonehenge?
cranes surely did not exist at that time

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Engineers have proposed to use of great numbers of people (indicating levels of the development of social stratification), plus either (or a combination of) pulleys on hoists, or huge earthen ramparts which allowed the stones to be hauled/pushed into position (a system akin to that used during the building of the pyramids). of course there are the old legends that Britain was once the realm of giants and that they made stonehenge nd dolmens

[hansioux]

Well, have any of you seen the discovery channel showing how pyrimids could have been build by kites?

[General_Zhaoyun]

Well, have any of you seen the discovery channel showing how pyrimids could have been build by kites?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Built by kites? That's funny.. how is that possible?

[Gubook Janggoon]

Kites?....That must have been a pretty big kite... ...enough to cary 20 men....wait...so are you saying they carried those blocks with kites?

[Liang Jieming]

Giza pyramid is by no means the oldest structure discovered in Egypt.

Unless the arugment is for the oldest "stone structure" then maybe stonehenge wins the case, since the early Egyption buildings and those Ziggarates in Iran and Iraq were normally built in Mud Bricks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think the argument is for the oldest "still standing" existing structure. Obviously other structures would have predated it if you take into account any structure built before it, including structures that no longer exist! I don't think anyone can pinpoint the very first building structure in the world. It'll probably be some twig shelter propped against the mouth of a cave to make a porch like covering to the cave entrance.

If we go one step up, and take any structure that we can still see the outline or foundations of, then again, obviously the stonehedge would not be the oldest. The world's first cities of Kish and Ur have been identified and they were built ca. 3300 B.C. Going even further back, the foundations of the settlement of Jericho ca. 6000 B.C. have also been identified.

[Liang Jieming]

...of course there are the old legends that Britain was once the realm of giants and that they made stonehenge nd dolmens 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmm... who were your ancestors? The Normans who came over with William, the Saxons who raided Britain over the centuries, the Vikings who settled in the far north, or one of the original pictish inhabitants of Britain? If it is the latter, that'll make you a very dimunitive dwarf descendant of Giants then!

But then again, I've never see you in person. Maybe you are 20 ft tall and still capable of building the stonehedge with your bare arms.

[caocao74]

But then again, I've never see you in person.  Maybe you are 20 ft tall and still capable of building the stonehedge with your bare arms. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How did you know?

Honestly, managed to trace the family back to the 11th Century; on father's side we came to the UK in the second wave of the Normans, while my mother's side were Scots (who ironically were from Ireland but later displaced the Pictae).

[Liang Jieming]

How did you know?

Honestly, managed to trace the family back to the 11th Century; on father's side we came to the UK in the second wave of the Normans, while my mother's side were Scots (who ironically were from Ireland but later displaced the Pictae).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow, impressive. I've only managed to trace mine back to my great-great granddad. Not very far at all. We believe he's the guy who came out of Guangdong to Penang, Malaysia.

Anyway, if you're from Norman and Scottish blood then you can't be descended from the giants of lore. Arhh, now I'm disappointed. Was gonna ask you to show me some druid rituals and stuff.