The 31st Century BC

The 31st century BC (abbreviated 31st BC) was a period of one hundred years that began in 3100 BC and ended in 3001 BC. It formed part of the early Bronze Age in the Middle East and North Africa.

This period is characterized by the beginning of writing (numerical and administrative records inscribed on stone and clay) and the growth of cities. The chronology of this century is largely estimated and is based on king lists and carbon dating.

Egypt

The conventional dating of the beginning of this century is tied to the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under a single ruler. Some scholars associate this with the king Narmer, while others use the name Menes from later tradition. This marked the founding of the First Dynasty, with Memphis typically cited as the administrative capital.

During this period, Egyptian hieroglyphic writing developed, used to record the names of kings and tribute amounts. Tombs in the mastaba (bench-shaped burial structure) style were also built at Abydos and Saqqara.

Mesopotamia

In southern Iraq, this period corresponded to the end of the Uruk period and the beginning of the Jemdet Nasr period. The city of Uruk was among the world's largest at that time. Cuneiform writing on clay developed from pictographic and numerical symbols into a more systematic script.

Other regions

In Europe, this era saw the construction of megalithic stone structures. In East and South Asia, there were farming communities forming larger settlements, precursors to the Indus Valley civilization.