The first civilizations and cities

Civilization (culture) is the level of achievement a people reaches in cultural development: tools, building of cities, writing, science and art. The first centres of civilization were in Asia and North Africa, and under their influence civilization also developed in Europe. On the island of Crete, which belongs to Greece, cities and palaces of the 3rd–2nd millennia BCE have been found: palace walls carry pictures, the lower floor held workshops and storerooms; the Cretans were strong in shipbuilding and trade and made their own writing. A volcanic eruption and later invasions weakened Cretan culture, and Greek tribes of the Peloponnese took the island. The Mycenaean city-state in the Peloponnese learned from Crete: a strong citadel and remains of bronze weapons and gold jewellery have been found. In Central America the Maya built city-states (Tikal), pyramids and observatories, made hieroglyphic writing and an accurate calendar; priests could calculate eclipses of the Sun and Moon in advance. In the territory of Peru the Inca state was ruled by the Sapa Inca; they held the Sun to be the chief god, built irrigation systems and stone-walled buildings, and made “quipu” writing by tying knots in cords.