5th millennium BC

(6th millennium BC – 5th millennium BC – 4th millennium BC – other millennia)

Events

• 4713 BC – The epoch (origin) of the Julian Period described by Joseph Justus Scaliger occurred on January 1, the astronomical Julian day number zero.
• 4004 BC – The universe is created at nightfall preceding October 23 according to the chronology of Archbishop James Ussher of Armagh.

Cultures

• c. 4500 BC – Civilization of Susa and Kish in Mesopotamia
• Cucuteni culture

Periods

• c. 4570–4250 BC – Merimde culture on the Nile
• c. 4400–4000 BC – Badari culture on the Nile

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

• Introduction of writing. Tartaria tablets in the lower Danube Valley date from around 5000 BC and first examples of Sumerian writing in Mesopotamia date from around 4000 BC.
• c. 4500 BC – Introduction of the plough in Europe
• Domestication of the Water Buffalo in China