26th Century B.C.E.

Papyrus

Ancient Egyptians begin using papyrus as a writing surface

Papyrus is first known to have been used in ancient Egypt (at least as far back as the First Dynasty), as the papyrus plant was once abundant across the Nile Delta. Apart from a writing material, ancient Egyptians employed papyrus in the construction of other artifacts, such as reed boats, mats, rope, sandals, and baskets.

Relief of Kubaba

Kubaba of Sumeria becomes humanity’s first female ruler

The Sumerian King List is unsurprisingly filled with the names of men: Alulim, Hadanish, Zizi, and many others. But alongside its male monarchs, the world’s first known civilization also produced a woman who is often considered the first female monarch: Kubaba, who brewed and sold beer in the ancient city of Kish in Mesopotamia. However, some scholars question Kubaba’s historicity, and it is quite possible that there were earlier female rulers we have no record of.

Greenland landscape

Early humans settle on Greenland for the first time

The earliest known cultures in Greenland are the Saqqaq culture (2500–800 B.C.E.) and the Independence I culture in northern Greenland (2400–1300 B.C.E.). The practitioners of these two cultures are thought to have descended from separate groups that came to Greenland from northern Canada.

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