| Invention | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 4000 BC | Apple Cultivation | Central Asia | near Almaty, modern Kazakhstan |
| 4000 BC | Arithmatic | Mesopotamia | by the Sumerians |
| 4000 BC | Bridges | Africa | |
| 4000 BC | Cosmetics, Fragrances | Egypt | |
| 4000 BC | Domestication of Horse | Europe | modern Ukraine |
| 4000 BC | Ox Drawn Plough | Mesopotamia | improved agriculture |
| 3650 BC | Popcorn | North America | modern New Mexico |
| 3500 BC | Corn, Beans, Squash Cultivation | Central America | |
| 3500 BC | Domestication of Llama | South America | from Andes |
| 3500 BC | Domestication of Turkey | Central America | |
| 3500 BC | Potato, Manioc Cultivation | South America | from Andes, Amazon |
| 3500 BC | Sail Powered Boats | Egypt | used for transport on the Nile |
| 3500 BC | The Wheel | Sumeria | in modern Iraq |
| 3500 BC | Water Clock | Sumeria | in modern Iraq |
| 3500 BC | Woodworking | Egypt | |
| 3300 BC | Use of Seals | Sumeria | cylinder seals used on clay |
| 3300 BC | Writing | Sumeria | pictographs |
| 3200 BC | Earth and Stone Dams | Middle East | in present day Jordan |
| 3200 BC | Footwear | Europe | deer hide, bear skin |
| 3200 BC | Silk | China | |
| 3100 BC | Drainage | Indus Valley | |
| 3000 BC | Brick Buildings | Egypt Sumeria |
|
| 3000 BC | Button | Indus Valley | re-invented in Germany, 1235 |
| 3000 BC | Candles | Egypt Crete |
|
| 3000 BC | Cotton Cultivation | South America Central America |
|
| 3000 BC | Glass | Middle East | in modern Syria, Lebanon |
| 3000 BC | Oil Palm, Yam Cultivation | Africa | in West Africa |
| 3000 BC | Potters Wheel | Mesopotamia | |
| 3000 BC | Reed Boats | Egypt Mesopotamia |
|
| 3000 BC | Standard Weights | Egypt | |
| 3000 BC | Sundial (Simple Gnomon) | Egypt | a gnomon is an vertical stick |
| 3000 BC | Use of Bronze | Mesopotamia | used in armour |
| 3000 BC | Use of Coca | South America | leaves chewed as a narcotic |
The measurement of time became important. The first sundials were vertical sticks. The Egyptians used these to divide the day into 12 hours for the daytime and 12 hours for the night. Because of the seasonal variation in daylength throughout the year, the length of the hours was variable. The Babylonians standardised the length of the hour to 1/24th of thre length of the Solar Day.
The invention of writing was another key moment. Information could be passed around without the need for it to be memorised. Knowledge could be passed between generations and peoples. Sumeria developed the cuniform script around 3300 BC; China first used pictograms c3100 BC; Egypt was using hieroglyphic notation around 3000 BC.
Jade was being carved in China c3600 BC. Yoga was being practiced in India c3000 BC. Bitumin was used in the Middle East from surface deposits, c3000 BC.
The area known as the Sahara began turning into desert c3500 BC. The city of Memphis (near modern Cairo), capital of a united Egypt, was founded by Narmer around 3050 BC. Chur, the oldest European town still inhabited, was settled in (modern) Switzerland in 3000 BC. The town of Ohrid was settled in Macedonia c3000 BC.
The Jewish calendar has its start point in 3761 BC. The Mayan calendar dates from 3300 BC.
Around 3000 BC, there was an extensive use of copper in the Great Lakes region of North America. At the same time pottery was developed in the Americas.
