Part 2/8:
Traditionally, history textbooks indicate that civilization began around 4,000 BCE, with the rise of societies such as Ancient Sumer. This period represents the entirety of "recorded history," a mere 6,000 years which accounts for only 1.5% of human existence on Earth. The remainder—over 98.5%—falls into what is termed "prehistory," where little is known about the subsistence lifestyles of early humans.