During the 6th millennium BC, agriculture spread from the Balkans to Italy and Eastern Europe, and also from Mesopotamia to Egypt. World population was essentially stable at approximately 5 million, though some speculate up to 7 million.

Events[link]

Black Sea today (light blue) and in 5600 BC (dark blue) according to Ryan's and Pitman's theories, versions of the Black Sea deluge theory

Byzantine Calendar illustrating 1 September 5509 BC.

Yangshao Culture

• A massive volcanic landslide off of Mt. Etna, Sicily caused a megatsunami which devastated the eastern Mediterranean coastline on three continents.^[1]
• c. 6000 BC: The Mehrgarh culture reaches its height c. 6000 BC. The Mehrgarh site is one of the most important Neolithic sites in the world. It is located in present-day Pakistan (Baluchistan Province).
• c. 6000 BC: The entire 6th Millennium was a part of the Holocene climatic optimum (so were the 4th, 5th, and 7th Millennia). This was a warm period also known as the Atlantic period. This period was characterized by minimal glaciation and high sea levels. (McEvedy)
• c. 6000 BC: The Copper Age comes to the Fertile Crescent. (Roux 1980) First use of copper in Middle East. (Bailey 1973)
• c. 6000 BC: Fully Neolithic agriculture has spread through Anatolia to the Balkans. (1967 McEvedy)
• c. 6000 BC: Equids disappear from the Americas.
• c. 6000 BC: Junglefowl kept in India.
• c. 6000 BC: Female figurines holding serpents are fashioned on Crete and may have been associated with water, regenerative power and protection of the home.
• c. 5900 BC: Prehistoric Vinca culture emerges on the shores of lower Danube.
• c. 5800 BC: Beginning of the Dadiwan culture in China.
• c. 5800 BC: The Hassuna Period in Mesopotamia <t. 5500 BC>, with the earliest version of stamp seals. (Roux 1980)
• c. 5760 BC: The volcano Puy-de-Dôme in France erupts.
• c. 5677 BC: Cataclysmic volcanic explosion of 12,000-foot (3,700 m) high Mount Mazama creates Oregon's Crater Lake^[2] when the resulting caldera fills with water. With a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 7, it remains the largest single Holocene eruption in history of the Cascade Range.
• c. 5600 BC: Beginning of the desertification of North Africa, which ultimately lead to the creation of the Sahara desert. It's possible this process pushed some natives into migrating to the region of the Nile in the east, thereby laying the groundwork for the rise of Egyptian civilization.
• c. 5600 BC: The Red Paint People become established in the region from present-day Labrador to New York state.
• 5509 BC: The Byzantine calendar dates creation to 1 September of this year.
• c. 5500 BC: Beginning of the Cucuteni-Trypillian culture in the region of modern-day Romania, Moldova, and southwestern Ukraine
• c. 5500 BC: Beginning of the Xinle culture in China.
• c. 5500 BC: Agriculture started in Ancient Egypt.
• c. 5500 BC: Predynastic period (Neolithic) starts in Ancient Egypt (other date is 4350 BC).
• c. 5450 BC: Volcano Hekla eruption.
• c. 5400 BC: Beginning of the Zhaobaogou culture in China.
• c. 5400 BC: Irrigation and the beginning of the Sumerian civilization in Southern Iraq.
• c. 5300 BC: Beginning of the Beixin culture in China.
• c. 5200 BC: Beginning of human inhabitation and settlements in Malta.
• c. 5000 BC: Beginning of the Hemudu culture in China.
• c. 5000 BC: Beginning of the Daxi culture in China.
• c. 5000 BC: Beginning of the Majiabang culture in China.
• c. 5000 BC: Beginning of the Yangshao culture in China.
• c. 5000 BC: Farming reached central and north Europe.

Environmental changes[link]

• c. 7000 BC: Beginning the Holocene climatic optimum.
• c. 6000 BC: The land bridge connecting England with the rest of Europe disappears beneath the waters of the North Sea and the English Channel.
• c. 5600 BC: According to the Black Sea deluge theory, the Black Sea floods with salt water. Some 3000 cubic miles (12,500 km³) of salt water is added, significantly expanding it and transforming it from a fresh-water landlocked lake into a salt water sea.

Inventions, discoveries, introductions[link]

• c. 6000 BC: Cycladic people started to use a coarse, poor-quality local clay to make a variety of objects.
• c. 6000 BC: Brick building was taking place at modern-day Çatalhöyük, Turkey.^[3]
• Agriculture appears in the valley of the Nile.
• Rice cultivated in Asia.
• c. 6000–5000 BC: Wine is created for the first time in Persia.
• c. 5000 BC: Agriculture began in the Americas perhaps this early, in complete isolation from the Old World.^[3]
• Artifacts of stone were supplemented by those of metal, and the crafts of basketry, pottery, weaving (Africa).
• Dead were buried in a fetal position, surrounded by the burial offerings and artifacts, facing west (Africa).
• Decorated, black-topped clay pots and vases; bone and ivory combs, figurines, and tableware, are found in great numbers (Africa).
• Jewelry of all types and materials (Africa).
• Objects began to be made not only with a function, but also with an aesthetic value. (Africa)
• Organized, permanent settlements focused around agriculture. (Africa)

Cultural landmarks[link]

• c. 5700 BC: Samarran Culture at Mesopotamia (present day Iraq) begins (c. 5700–4900 BC C-14, 6640–5816 BC calBC).
• c. 5500 BC: pottery at Mehrgarh in current-day Baluchistan, Pakistan.
• c. 5100 BC: Temples founded in South Mesopotamia.
• Mediterranean Old European cultures.

References[link]

1. ^ Pareschi, M. T.; Boschi E.; Favalli M. (2006). "Lost tsunami". Geophysical Research Letters 33 (22): L22608. Bibcode 2006GeoRL..3322608P. DOI:10.1029/2006GL027790. 
2. ^ Zdanowicz, C. M.; Zielinski, G. A.; Germani, M. S. (1999). "Mount Mazama eruption; calendrical age verified and atmospheric impact assessed". Geology 27 (7): 621–624. DOI:10.1130/0091-7613(1999)027<0621:MMECAV>2.3.CO;2. http://geology.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/7/621. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Roberts, J: "History of the World.". Penguin, 1994.

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2008)

The sixth millennium is a period of time that will begin on January 1, 5001, and will end on December 31, 6000.

Astronomical events[link]

• 5001 September 11: Mercury occults Regulus
• c. 5200 Iota Cephei replaces Gamma Cephei as the North Star, which it has been from around 3000.
• 5366 August 27: Venus occults Aldebaran, the first occultation of Aldebaran by a planet since July 15, 18,980 BC
• 5898 August 30: Venus occults Regulus
• 5965 date unknown:the sat/10 falls back to earth after 4000 years
• 5974 September 25: Mercury occults Regulus

Science predictions[link]

• 5200: Formation of a Type II civilization under the Kardashev scale, according to Kardashev's extrapolation of 1% energy usage growth per year.^[1]

Science fiction[link]

• The 51st century is the original timezone of Magnus Greel in the 1977 Doctor Who serial The Talons of Weng-Chiang. Greel was "Minister of Justice" under the tyrannical "Supreme Alliance," and responsible for the deaths of 100,000 people, earning him the epithet "the Butcher of Brisbane." In 5000, the Filipino Army defeats the Alliance at the Battle of Reykjavík, during the closing stages of World War V. Using zygma-energy powered time travel technology, Greel escapes to the 19th century Chinese Empire and steals energy from women to survive, but dies in Victorian London.

• There are many references to the 51st century in the revived series of Doctor Who. One of the Doctor's companions, Captain Jack Harkness, originates from the 51st century, although it is unclear whether or not he or his parents participated in the events of World War V described above.

• Further references in Doctor Who include the events of "The Girl in the Fireplace" partly take place during sometime in the 51st Century, on a spaceship inhabitated by malfunctioning clockwork robots, who open time windows to the past. The two part story "Silence in the Library"/"Forest of the Dead" and part of the events of "The Time of Angels", each involving River Song are also set during this period, partly in a prison River Song is in. This is also the home time of K-9 Mark I. Apparently by this time humanity has spread to many worlds around the cosmos.

• In the science fiction/fantasy series, The Pendragon Adventure, the territory (dimension) of Third Earth exists in 5010, the future of Second Earth (and in that sense, First Earth as well, which takes place in 1937). It is presented as a utopian society, with almost every man-made structure situated underground or in space, leaving the surface of the Earth to flourish.

• Around 5020, the events in Orson Scott Card's books, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide and Children of the Mind, of the Ender's Game Series take place.

• In the Blake and Mortimer universe, this is the last century of existence for an unnamed world totalitarian government, which originally took over in the late 21st century.
  In 5060, a worldwide revolution, commanded by Focas, overthrows this regime and presumably builds a better and more just world.

• In 5167 CE (or, more accurately, CY 10087), the Andromeda Ascendant will be rescued by the crew of the Eureka Maru (for the television series Andromeda).

• In Terror from the Year 5000, a 1958 American science fiction film, A time machine made by Professor Howard Erling brings back a deformed woman from circa 5200 AD (in contradiction of the title).

• In 5700, in the DC Comics universe, the Green Lantern at this point will be Pol Manning (actually an identity taken by Hal Jordan and Salakk). By now the Solar System is run by a government led by the Solar Director. The technology is capable of taking Green Lantern from his own time and implanting new memories of his identity into his mind.

• In reference to this, according to Amalgam Comics continuity, the Iron Lantern at this point will be Arno Manning, defending a futuristic Coast City.

• The Japanese anime Yat Anshin Uchuu Ryokou takes place in the year 5808.'

• In the SpongeBob SquarePants episode, "Sponge Henge," the end of the episode shows a clip 3000 years away from the year 2007, the year the episode was aired. So the end took place in the year 5007.

Music[link]

• According to the song "In the Year 2525" by Zager and Evans, by the year 5555, machines will have taken over all physical tasks, eventually rendering man's arms and legs useless.

References[link]

• Conjunctions of Regulus and the planets (in German)