Ancient Studies/Civilization
A Cradle of civilizations is a place and culture where humankind first developed advanced Civilization on its own. The most defining feature of a civilized society is the presence of urban centers (cities).
Besides a non-nomadic, settled population and the development of a written language, other hallmarks of Civilization include:
- The construction of grand public buildings.
- The establishment of distinct social strata.
- The practice of racial discrimination.
- The method of gender inequity.
An entire civilization doesn't spring into existence all at once; instead, it evolves gradually from a series of increasingly complex cultures.There are commonly agreed upon six cradles of Civilization recognized by experts.Most scholars agree that the civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, and ancient China were the first in the Old World. The Norte Chico civilization of coastal Peru (also known as Caral-Supe) and the Maya city-state of Olmec (also known as Tenochtitlan) are considered the New World's cradles of Civilization. Agriculture was the lifeblood of every prehistoric settlement (except possibly Caral-Supe, which may have depended initially on marine resources).To fund the central government, political leaders, priests, and public works of the urban centers of the Civilization, everyone relied on farmers to provide an agricultural surplus.Besides Egypt, Ancient Greece is often mentioned when discussing other ancient civilizations as a "cradle of civilization."