The Sumerian civilization, which first appeared in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 4000 BCE, is generally regarded as the earliest civilization in history. The Sumerians are renowned for their inventions in writing, mathematics, agriculture, and construction, all of which had a lasting influence on the course of human history.
The Egyptian civilization, which appeared in the valley of the Nile River approximately 3100 BCE, and the Indus Valley Civilization, which appeared in the area of the Indus River (modern-day Pakistan and northwest India), both appeared at or shortly after the same time in antiquity.
It is important to keep in mind that the term “civilization” has many different meanings and that various academics and researchers may disagree as to which civilization was the “oldest” or most significant in human history.
