The First Village, Beginning of Civilization

As Sharrukin said in a thread, the origin of the civilization is traced back to the Kermanshah Culture (c. 7500-5600 BC) of western Iran.  The descendant culture appeared in central Mesopotamia, known as the Samarra Culture (c. 5700-4900 BC).  Later still, elements of this culture migrated south into southern Mesopotamia where the Ubaid Culture (c. 5300-3900 BC) took root.  It developed into the Uruk Culture (c. 3900-3100 BC).  It was during this time that the earliest pictographic writing developed (by c. 3500 BC), which developed into a proto-cuneiform script by the Jembat Nasr period (c. 3100-2900 BC), which became a fully developed cuneiform script in the Sumerian Early Dynastic Period (c. 2900-2300 BC) by about 2500 BC.  There was apparently no interruptions in the development of Sumerian civilization from its Neolithic past.

 

Now it seems the Kermanshah Culture is some thousands years older:

 

 

TEHRAN (ISNA)-The Head of Archeology Research Center of Iran's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization said the oldest prehistorian village in the Middle East is discovered in Sahneh town located in Iranian western province of Kermanshah.

In an interview with Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), Hassan Fazeli Nashli said ancient hill named Sheikhiababd dates back to 11800 years ago.

Remains of a residential house and also one altar decorated with horns of a sheep and four goats were discovered in the ancient village that belongs to the post-cave dwelling era.

The era of human life transfer from cave to village was among the most important developments in the life of human being which brought agriculture and animal husbandry for people and paved the way for them to start life in cities, he said.