Top 100 Forgotten Ancient Civilizations

"Rediscovering the forgotten cultures of history"

Throughout history, many ancient civilizations have risen to prominence, only to be forgotten over time. These lost cultures have left behind fascinating remnants of their existence, offering glimpses into their lives, beliefs, and achievements. This list delves into the top 100 forgotten ancient civilizations, highlighting their unique contributions to human history and their lasting legacies.

Topics

• Top 100 Forgotten Ancient Civilizations
  • Topics
  • Overview
  • Cheat
  • Topic 1: "Prehistoric Cultures"
  • Topic 2: "Bronze Age Civilizations"
  • Topic 3: "Iron Age Societies"
  • Topic 4: "Early Kingdoms"
  • Topic 5: "Lost Empires"
  • Top 100 List
  • Top 100 Table (continued)
  • Conclusion

Overview

• Title: "Forgotten Ancient Civilizations"
• Subtitle: "Exploring Lost Cultures"
• Tagline: "Rediscovering the forgotten cultures of history"
• Description: "A journey through time to uncover the lost civilizations that shaped the world."
• Keywords: Ancient, Civilization, Forgotten, History, Culture, Archeology, Lost, Ruins, Legacy, Heritage

Cheat

# Forgotten Ancient Civilizations
- Exploring Lost Cultures
- Rediscovering the forgotten cultures of history
- A journey through time to uncover the lost civilizations that shaped the world.
- 5 Topics

## Topics
- Prehistoric Cultures: Hunter-gatherer, Prehistoric, Cave, Megalithic, Nomadic
- Bronze Age Civilizations: Bronze Age, Urbanization, Trade, Metallurgy, Writing
- Iron Age Societies: Iron Age, Empires, Warfare, Agriculture, Expansion
- Early Kingdoms: Monarchy, Early States, Pyramids, Temples, Law Codes
- Lost Empires: Conquest, Collapse, Archaeology, Legacy, Rediscovery

Topic 1: "Prehistoric Cultures"

"The dawn of human civilization"

Before the rise of written records, prehistoric cultures laid the foundations for human society. These hunter-gatherer communities, often associated with cave art and megalithic structures, played a crucial role in shaping early human history. Although much about these cultures remains a mystery, their legacy is evident in the archaeological remains they left behind.

1. Göbekli Tepe: The world's oldest known temple complex
2. Natufian Culture: Early transition from hunter-gatherers to farming
3. Cucuteni-Trypillian Culture: Advanced Neolithic culture in Eastern Europe
4. Clovis Culture: Early Paleo-Indian culture in North America
5. Jomon Culture: Prehistoric Japanese culture known for pottery
6. Liangzhu Culture: Early Chinese civilization with jade artifacts
7. Indus Valley Pre-Harappan: Early urban culture in South Asia
8. Catalhoyuk: One of the earliest urban settlements
9. Anasazi: Ancestral Puebloans of the American Southwest
10. Mehrgarh: Early farming settlement in Pakistan
11. Skara Brae: Neolithic village in Scotland
12. Vinča Culture: Early Balkan civilization with advanced metallurgy
13. Aterian Culture: North African Paleolithic culture
14. Gravettian Culture: Upper Paleolithic culture in Europe
15. Nok Culture: Ancient West African civilization known for terracotta figures
16. Megalithic Temples of Malta: Among the world's oldest free-standing structures
17. Talaiotic Culture: Prehistoric culture of the Balearic Islands
18. Tlatilco: Early Mesoamerican culture known for ceramic art
19. Dorset Culture: Pre-Inuit culture in Arctic North America
20. Bantu Expansion: Spread of Bantu-speaking peoples across Africa

Topic 2: "Bronze Age Civilizations"

"The age of bronze and the birth of cities"

The Bronze Age marked a significant turning point in human history with the advent of urbanization, trade, and the use of metallurgy. This era saw the rise of some of the earliest civilizations, many of which have been lost to time but left indelible marks on the course of history.

1. Elamite Civilization: Early Iranian civilization known for its ziggurats
2. Minoan Civilization: Bronze Age culture on the island of Crete
3. Mycenaean Greece: Predecessors of classical Greece
4. Hittite Empire: Powerful kingdom in Anatolia
5. Nubian Kerma Culture: One of Africa's earliest urban cultures
6. Cycladic Civilization: Aegean culture known for marble figurines
7. Harappan Civilization: Major urban center of the Indus Valley
8. Xia Dynasty: Possibly China's first dynasty
9. Ebla: Ancient city-state in modern-day Syria
10. Luristan Culture: Known for its intricate bronze artifacts
11. Dilmun: Ancient civilization in the Persian Gulf
12. Troy: Legendary city of Homer's epics
13. Amorites: Semitic people who established Babylon
14. Mitanni: Hurrian kingdom in the Near East
15. Aratta: Mythical land of riches mentioned in Sumerian texts
16. Mari: Semitic city-state known for its extensive archives
17. Ugarit: Coastal city-state that contributed to the alphabet
18. Shahr-e Sukhteh: Bronze Age city in Iran's Sistan Basin
19. Kingdom of Yam: Ancient kingdom mentioned in Egyptian texts
20. Syro-Hittite States: Small states that emerged after the fall of the Hittite Empire

Topic 3: "Iron Age Societies"

"Empires forged in iron"

The Iron Age brought significant advancements in tools, weaponry, and agriculture. This era saw the emergence of powerful empires and the spread of new technologies, which allowed for greater expansion and cultural exchange. However, many of these societies have since faded into obscurity.

1. Urartu: Kingdom in Eastern Anatolia
2. Scythians: Nomadic warriors of the Eurasian steppes
3. Phrygians: Ancient civilization in modern-day Turkey
4. Etruscan Civilization: Pre-Roman civilization in Italy
5. Kushite Empire: African empire that ruled Egypt's 25th Dynasty
6. Kingdom of Lydia: First kingdom to use coined money
7. Medes: Ancient Iranian people who helped overthrow the Assyrians
8. Chavin Civilization: Pre-Columbian culture in Peru
9. Hallstatt Culture: Early Celtic culture in Europe
10. Kingdom of Urartu: Influential civilization in the Armenian Highlands
11. Dacians: Ancient people of modern-day Romania
12. Cimmerians: Early Indo-European nomadic warriors
13. Nabataean Kingdom: Builders of Petra in modern-day Jordan
14. Colchis: Ancient kingdom in the Caucasus
15. Iberians: Ancient people of the Iberian Peninsula
16. Picts: Early inhabitants of Scotland
17. Thracians: Ancient people of Southeast Europe
18. Illyrians: Pre-Roman inhabitants of the Western Balkans
19. Olmec Civilization: The "mother culture" of Mesoamerica
20. Tarquinia: Etruscan city known for its tombs and art

Topic 4: "Early Kingdoms"

"The rise of the first monarchies"

The earliest kingdoms laid the foundations for later states and empires. These early societies were marked by the establishment of monarchies, the construction of monumental architecture, and the development of legal and religious systems that influenced later civilizations.

1. Akkadian Empire: The world's first empire
2. Sumerian City-States: Early Mesopotamian culture with the first writing system
3. Old Kingdom Egypt: The age of the pyramids
4. Kingdom of Kush: African kingdom south of Egypt
5. Assyrian Empire: Ancient empire known for its military prowess
6. Aksumite Empire: Early Christian empire in Ethiopia
7. Zapotec Civilization: Early Mesoamerican culture in Oaxaca
8. Kingdom of Punt: Mysterious trading partner of ancient Egypt
9. Ubaid Culture: Prehistoric Mesopotamian culture
10. Achaemenid Empire: The first Persian Empire
11. Early Celtic Kingdoms: Pre-Roman Celtic polities in Europe
12. Carthaginian Empire: Powerful Phoenician colony in North Africa
13. Ancient Nabataean Kingdom: Traders of frankincense and myrrh
14. Kingdom of Axum: Major trading empire in Northeast Africa
15. Moche Civilization: Pre-Inca culture in Peru
16. Teotihuacan: Early urban culture in Mexico
17. Kingdom of Sheba: Ancient kingdom in Southern Arabia
18. Lydian Empire: Kingdom in Asia Minor known for its wealth
19. Early Hellenistic Kingdoms: Successor states to Alexander's empire
20. Bactria: Ancient civilization in Central Asia

Topic 5: "Lost Empires"

"The rise and fall of forgotten empires"

Throughout history, many empires have risen to great power, only to collapse and fade into obscurity. These lost empires, though often forgotten, played crucial roles in shaping the world as we know it today. Their ruins and relics continue to fascinate historians and archaeologists alike.

1. Hittite Empire: Powerful Bronze Age kingdom in Anatolia
2. Achaemenid Empire: The first Persian Empire
3. Maurya Empire: Early Indian empire that unified much of the subcontinent
4. Byzantine Empire: The Eastern Roman Empire that preserved classical knowledge
5. Khmer Empire: Builders of the Angkor Wat
6. Mali Empire: West African empire known for its wealth and trade
7. Songhai Empire: Successor state to the Mali Empire in West Africa
8. Srivijaya Empire: Maritime empire in Southeast Asia
9. Inca Empire: South America's largest empire before European conquest
10. Sassanian Empire: Last great Persian Empire before Islam
11. Kingdom of the Kongo: Powerful kingdom in Central Africa
12. Fatimid Caliphate: Shia caliphate that ruled parts of North Africa
13. Zulu Kingdom: Powerful South African state under Shaka Zulu
14. Vijayanagara Empire: South Indian empire known for its capital city
15. Abbasid Caliphate: Islamic Golden Age under the Abbasids
16. Timurid Empire: Central Asian empire founded by Tamerlane
17. Golden Horde: Mongol khanate in Russia
18. Mughal Empire: Empire that ruled much of India
19. Byzantine Empire: Preservers of classical knowledge and culture
20. Ottoman Empire: Vast empire that controlled Southeast Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa

Top 100 List

1. Göbekli Tepe (Prehistoric Cultures)
2. Elamite Civilization (Bronze Age Civilizations)
3. Urartu (Iron Age Societies)
4. Akkadian Empire (Early Kingdoms)
5. Hittite Empire (Lost Empires)
6. Natufian Culture (Prehistoric Cultures)
7. Minoan Civilization (Bronze Age Civilizations)
8. Scythians (Iron Age Societies)
9. Sumerian City-States (Early Kingdoms)
10. Achaemenid Empire (Lost Empires)
11. Cucuteni-Trypillian Culture (Prehistoric Cultures)
12. Mycenaean Greece (Bronze Age Civilizations)
13. Phrygians (Iron Age Societies)
14. Old Kingdom Egypt (Early Kingdoms)
15. Maurya Empire (Lost Empires)
16. Clovis Culture (Prehistoric Cultures)
17. Hittite Empire (Bronze Age Civilizations)
18. Etruscan Civilization (Iron Age Societies)
19. Kingdom of Kush (Early Kingdoms)
20. Byzantine Empire (Lost Empires)
21. Liangzhu Culture (Prehistoric Cultures)
22. Nubian Kerma Culture (Bronze Age Civilizations)
23. Kushite Empire (Iron Age Societies)
24. Zapotec Civilization (Early Kingdoms)
25. Khmer Empire (Lost Empires)
26. Indus Valley Pre-Harappan (Prehistoric Cultures)
27. Cycladic Civilization (Bronze Age Civilizations)
28. Kingdom of Lydia (Iron Age Societies)
29. Kingdom of Punt (Early Kingdoms)
30. Mali Empire (Lost Empires)
31. Catalhoyuk (Prehistoric Cultures)
32. Harappan Civilization (Bronze Age Civilizations)
33. Medes (Iron Age Societies)
34. Ubaid Culture (Early Kingdoms)
35. Srivijaya Empire (Lost Empires)
36. Anasazi (Prehistoric Cultures)
37. Xia Dynasty (Bronze Age Civilizations)
38. Chavin Civilization (Iron Age Societies)
39. Aksumite Empire (Early Kingdoms)
40. Songhai Empire (Lost Empires)
41. Mehrgarh (Prehistoric Cultures)
42. Ebla (Bronze Age Civilizations)
43. Hallstatt Culture (Iron Age Societies)
44. Early Celtic Kingdoms (Early Kingdoms)
45. Sassanian Empire (Lost Empires)
46. Skara Brae (Prehistoric Cultures)
47. Luristan Culture (Bronze Age Civilizations)
48. Kingdom of Urartu (Iron Age Societies)
49. Carthaginian Empire (Early Kingdoms)
50. Inca Empire (Lost Empires)
51. Vinča Culture (Prehistoric Cultures)
52. Dilmun (Bronze Age Civilizations)
53. Dacians (Iron Age Societies)
54. Ancient Nabataean Kingdom (Early Kingdoms)
55. Zulu Kingdom (Lost Empires)
56. Aterian Culture (Prehistoric Cultures)
57. Troy (Bronze Age Civilizations)
58. Cimmerians (Iron Age Societies)
59. Kingdom of Axum (Early Kingdoms)
60. Vijayanagara Empire (Lost Empires)
61. Gravettian Culture (Prehistoric Cultures)
62. Amorites (Bronze Age Civilizations)
63. Nabataean Kingdom (Iron Age Societies)
64. Lydian Empire (Early Kingdoms)
65. Abbasid Caliphate (Lost Empires)
66. Nok Culture (Prehistoric Cultures)
67. Mitanni (Bronze Age Civilizations)
68. Colchis (Iron Age Societies)
69. Moche Civilization (Early Kingdoms)
70. Timurid Empire (Lost Empires)
71. Megalithic Temples of Malta (Prehistoric Cultures)
72. Aratta (Bronze Age Civilizations)
73. Iberians (Iron Age Societies)
74. Teotihuacan (Early Kingdoms)
75. Golden Horde (Lost Empires)
76. Talaiotic Culture (Prehistoric Cultures)
77. Mari (Bronze Age Civilizations)
78. Picts (Iron Age Societies)
79. Kingdom of Sheba (Early Kingdoms)
80. Fatimid Caliphate (Lost Empires)
81. Tlatilco (Prehistoric Cultures)
82. Ugarit (Bronze Age Civilizations)
83. Thracians (Iron Age Societies)
84. Lydian Empire (Early Kingdoms)
85. Songhai Empire (Lost Empires)
86. Dorset Culture (Prehistoric Cultures)
87. Shahr-e Sukhteh (Bronze Age Civilizations)
88. Illyrians (Iron Age Societies)
89. Lydian Empire (Early Kingdoms)
90. Timurid Empire (Lost Empires)
91. Bantu Expansion (Prehistoric Cultures)
92. Kingdom of Yam (Bronze Age Civilizations)
93. Olmec Civilization (Iron Age Societies)
94. Bactria (Early Kingdoms)
95. Abbasid Caliphate (Lost Empires)
96. Mughal Empire (Lost Empires)
97. Byzantine Empire (Lost Empires)
98. Ottoman Empire (Lost Empires)
99. Khmer Empire (Lost Empires)
100. Mali Empire (Lost Empires)

Top 100 Table (continued)

Rank	Name	Topic	Tagline
21	Liangzhu Culture	Prehistoric Cultures	"Early Chinese civilization with jade artifacts"
22	Nubian Kerma Culture	Bronze Age Civilizations	"One of Africa's earliest urban cultures"
23	Kushite Empire	Iron Age Societies	"African empire that ruled Egypt's 25th Dynasty"
24	Zapotec Civilization	Early Kingdoms	"Early Mesoamerican culture in Oaxaca"
25	Khmer Empire	Lost Empires	"Builders of the Angkor Wat"
26	Indus Valley Pre-Harappan	Prehistoric Cultures	"Early urban culture in South Asia"
27	Cycladic Civilization	Bronze Age Civilizations	"Aegean culture known for marble figurines"
28	Kingdom of Lydia	Iron Age Societies	"First kingdom to use coined money"
29	Kingdom of Punt	Early Kingdoms	"Mysterious trading partner of ancient Egypt"
30	Mali Empire	Lost Empires	"West African empire known for its wealth and trade"
31	Catalhoyuk	Prehistoric Cultures	"One of the earliest urban settlements"
32	Harappan Civilization	Bronze Age Civilizations	"Major urban center of the Indus Valley"
33	Medes	Iron Age Societies	"Ancient Iranian people who helped overthrow the Assyrians"
34	Ubaid Culture	Early Kingdoms	"Prehistoric Mesopotamian culture"
35	Srivijaya Empire	Lost Empires	"Maritime empire in Southeast Asia"
36	Anasazi	Prehistoric Cultures	"Ancestral Puebloans of the American Southwest"
37	Xia Dynasty	Bronze Age Civilizations	"Possibly China's first dynasty"
38	Chavin Civilization	Iron Age Societies	"Pre-Columbian culture in Peru"
39	Aksumite Empire	Early Kingdoms	"Early Christian empire in Ethiopia"
40	Songhai Empire	Lost Empires	"Successor state to the Mali Empire in West Africa"
41	Mehrgarh	Prehistoric Cultures	"Early farming settlement in Pakistan"
42	Ebla	Bronze Age Civilizations	"Ancient city-state in modern-day Syria"
43	Hallstatt Culture	Iron Age Societies	"Early Celtic culture in Europe"
44	Early Celtic Kingdoms	Early Kingdoms	"Pre-Roman Celtic polities in Europe"
45	Sassanian Empire	Lost Empires	"Last great Persian Empire before Islam"
46	Skara Brae	Prehistoric Cultures	"Neolithic village in Scotland"
47	Luristan Culture	Bronze Age Civilizations	"Known for its intricate bronze artifacts"
48	Kingdom of Urartu	Iron Age Societies	"Influential civilization in the Armenian Highlands"
49	Carthaginian Empire	Early Kingdoms	"Powerful Phoenician colony in North Africa"
50	Inca Empire	Lost Empires	"South America's largest empire before European conquest"
51	Vinča Culture	Prehistoric Cultures	"Early Balkan civilization with advanced metallurgy"
52	Dilmun	Bronze Age Civilizations	"Ancient civilization in the Persian Gulf"
53	Dacians	Iron Age Societies	"Ancient people of modern-day Romania"
54	Ancient Nabataean Kingdom	Early Kingdoms	"Traders of frankincense and myrrh"
55	Zulu Kingdom	Lost Empires	"Powerful South African state under Shaka Zulu"
56	Aterian Culture	Prehistoric Cultures	"North African Paleolithic culture"
57	Troy	Bronze Age Civilizations	"Legendary city of Homer's epics"
58	Cimmerians	Iron Age Societies	"Early Indo-European nomadic warriors"
59	Kingdom of Axum	Early Kingdoms	"Major trading empire in Northeast Africa"
60	Vijayanagara Empire	Lost Empires	"South Indian empire known for its capital city"
61	Gravettian Culture	Prehistoric Cultures	"Upper Paleolithic culture in Europe"
62	Amorites	Bronze Age Civilizations	"Semitic people who established Babylon"
63	Nabataean Kingdom	Iron Age Societies	"Builders of Petra in modern-day Jordan"
64	Lydian Empire	Early Kingdoms	"Kingdom in Asia Minor known for its wealth"
65	Abbasid Caliphate	Lost Empires	"Islamic Golden Age under the Abbasids"
66	Nok Culture	Prehistoric Cultures	"Ancient West African civilization known for terracotta figures"
67	Mitanni	Bronze Age Civilizations	"Hurrian kingdom in the Near East"
68	Colchis	Iron Age Societies	"Ancient kingdom in the Caucasus"
69	Moche Civilization	Early Kingdoms	"Pre-Inca culture in Peru"
70	Timurid Empire	Lost Empires	"Central Asian empire founded by Tamerlane"
71	Megalithic Temples of Malta	Prehistoric Cultures	"Among the world's oldest free-standing structures"
72	Aratta	Bronze Age Civilizations	"Mythical land of riches mentioned in Sumerian texts"
73	Iberians	Iron Age Societies	"Ancient people of the Iberian Peninsula"
74	Teotihuacan	Early Kingdoms	"Early urban culture in Mexico"
75	Golden Horde	Lost Empires	"Mongol khanate in Russia"
76	Talaiotic Culture	Prehistoric Cultures	"Prehistoric culture of the Balearic Islands"
77	Mari	Bronze Age Civilizations	"Semitic city-state known for its extensive archives"
78	Picts	Iron Age Societies	"Early inhabitants of Scotland"
79	Kingdom of Sheba	Early Kingdoms	"Ancient kingdom in Southern Arabia"
80	Fatimid Caliphate	Lost Empires	"Shia caliphate that ruled parts of North Africa"
81	Tlatilco	Prehistoric Cultures	"Early Mesoamerican culture known for ceramic art"
82	Ugarit	Bronze Age Civilizations	"Coastal city-state that contributed to the alphabet"
83	Thracians	Iron Age Societies	"Ancient people of Southeast Europe"
84	Lydian Empire	Early Kingdoms	"First kingdom to use coined money"
85	Songhai Empire	Lost Empires	"Successor state to the Mali Empire in West Africa"
86	Dorset Culture	Prehistoric Cultures	"Pre-Inuit culture in Arctic North America"
87	Shahr-e Sukhteh	Bronze Age Civilizations	"Bronze Age city in Iran's Sistan Basin"
88	Illyrians	Iron Age Societies	"Pre-Roman inhabitants of the Western Balkans"
89	Lydian Empire	Early Kingdoms	"Kingdom in Asia Minor known for its wealth"
90	Timurid Empire	Lost Empires	"Central Asian empire founded by Tamerlane"
91	Bantu Expansion	Prehistoric Cultures	"Spread of Bantu-speaking peoples across Africa"
92	Kingdom of Yam	Bronze Age Civilizations	"Ancient kingdom mentioned in Egyptian texts"
93	Olmec Civilization	Iron Age Societies	"The 'mother culture' of Mesoamerica"
94	Bactria	Early Kingdoms	"Ancient civilization in Central Asia"
95	Abbasid Caliphate	Lost Empires	"Islamic Golden Age under the Abbasids"
96	Mughal Empire	Lost Empires	"Empire that ruled much of India"
97	Byzantine Empire	Lost Empires	"Preservers of classical knowledge"
98	Ottoman Empire	Lost Empires	"Vast empire in Southeast Europe"
99	Khmer Empire	Lost Empires	"Builders of the Angkor Wat"
100	Mali Empire	Lost Empires	"West African empire known for its wealth"

Conclusion

This list of the top 100 forgotten ancient civilizations showcases the incredible diversity and complexity of human cultures that have shaped our world. Each civilization, though lost to history, has left an enduring legacy that continues to influence our understanding of the past. By exploring these ancient cultures, we gain a deeper appreciation for the richness of human history and the importance of preserving our global heritage.