Making Civilizations: The World before 600

Distinguished historians examine the Middle East, India, and China's early developments and the rise of the first great civilizations in this volume of the History of the World series. The Neolithic period, also known as the Agrarian Revolution, was a turning point in human history, allowing people to cultivate crops and raise livestock. This led to economic specialization, the growth of village communities, and trade networks. Family was the fundamental social unit, and religion played a central role in shaping civilizations.

Format: Hardback
Length: 1216 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2020
Publisher: Harvard University Press

Distinguished historians of the ancient world delve into the intricate tapestry of human history, exploring the nascent stages and the emergence of the first great civilizations that spanned across vast regions, from the Middle East to India and China. In this captivating volume of the six-part History of the World series, Hans-Joachim Gehrke, a renowned scholar of ancient Greece, assumes the role of a guiding light, leading a distinguished cohort of historians in their comprehensive analysis of prehistory, the earliest human settlements, and the ascent of the world's first advanced civilizations.

The Neolithic period, often referred to as the Agrarian Revolution, stands as a pivotal moment in human history. It marked a significant shift, as people abandoned their dependence on hunting animals and gathering plants, instead embracing the cultivation of crops and the rearing of livestock. This transformative development led to a more settled existence, particularly along the banks of rivers such as the Nile, Tigris, Euphrates, Ganges, and Yangzi. The mastery of metals, coupled with groundbreaking innovations in tools and technologies, fostered economic specialization, encompassing a wide range of intricate crafts and the development of more lethal weapons. Within the framework of family, which served as the fundamental social unit, relationships and hierarchies were modeled upon the evolving dynamics between rulers and ruled. Religion, whether polytheistic or monotheistic, played a central role in shaping civilizations, from the Persians to the Israelites. The world was perceived through the lens of a divinely ordained order, with the Chinese imperial title Huangdi exuding divinity and heavenly splendor, while the Indian emperor Ashoka was revered as the embodiment of moral law.

Spanning from the latest discoveries about the Neanderthals to the establishment of imperial China and the captivating world of Western classical antiquity, Making Civilizations presents an authoritative and comprehensive overview of humanity's earliest eras. This captivating journey through time unveils the rich tapestry of human civilization, shedding light on the foundations upon which our modern world has been built.

Weight: 1652g
Dimension: 174 x 243 x 62 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780674047174