If you remember your high school world history courses, you might recall civilization beginning in Mesopotamia, flourishing in Egypt, followed next by great civilizations in Greece and Rome. That sequence – from a decidedly Western perspective – shapes our understanding of the ancient world and our progress throughout the millenia. For those with better memories or educations that included histories beyond the Western world, you might think of early dynasties in China or the enigmatic Indus Valley Civilization. You might also wonder about an ancient archaeological site like Stonehenge and where it fits amongst better known Egyptian, Greek and Roman histories.
Tackling world history invariably involves dividing the great story of our past into manageable portions. This method of study can suggest a synthetic order where civilizations begin and end neatly in progressive chapters. The aforementioned historical journey from Mesopotamia to Egypt, Greece and Rome, greatly minimizes the extent to which these civilizations overlapped. In the Greek world, ancient Minoan civilization coexisted with ancient Egypt from the first dynasty through most of the New Kingdom. Even the Romans (relative latecomers in the ancient Mediterranean world) shared centuries of coexistence with Egypt and Greece before absorbing each into its empire. Perhaps most remarkably, great bronze age Chinese dynasties also flourished at the time of the Pharaohs and silk from China made its way to Ptolemaic Egypt.
The BCEDB project aims to provide an easy way to place important people, artifacts and architecture into a greater historical context. At this early stage of development, search options are limited, the database is still growing, and the site is somewhat rough around the edges. Check back soon for exciting new features…
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