21st century BC

Template:Short description Template:Centurybox The 21st century BC was a century that lasted from the year 2100 BC to 2001 BC.

Events

File:Sumerian Cylinder Seal of King Ur-Nammu.jpg

Ur-Nammu (seated) bestows governorship on Ḫašḫamer, patesi (high priest) of Iškun-Sin (cylinder seal impression, ca. 2100 BC).

All dates from this long ago should be regarded as either approximate or conjectural; there are no absolutely certain dates, and multiple competing reconstructed chronologies, for this time period.

• Template:Circa – The First Intermediate Period of Egypt, a period of decline in Egyptian central power.<ref name="O'Neill">Template:Cite book</ref>
• Template:Circa – The Third Dynasty of Ur.<ref name="GRoux">Template:Cite book</ref> The Ziggurat of Ur is built. Administrative power in Ur is pushed far, with an Ensi, an appointed civil servant, at the head of the constituencies. A meticulous and finicky bureaucracy manages, counts and controls the whole administration, which is as much concerned with the economy as with war or the service of the gods. The weight of such an administration arguably contributes to the collapse of the empire. Finally, the Elamites sack Ur and the third dynasty comes to an end.<ref name="Margueron">Template:Cite book</ref>
• Template:Circa:
  • Epic poetry is written in the Sumerian language, including the Epic of Gilgamesh.<ref name="Papin">Template:Cite book</ref>
  • In Chalcolithic Europe, the two circles of bluestones that form the inner part of Stonehenge are erected.<ref name="Azéma">Template:Cite book</ref>
  • Shahr-e Sukhteh, "The Burnt City" in Persia, is abandoned.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Template:Circa: The beginning of the Middle Minoan civilization in Crete.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Bronze metallurgy and the potter's wheel are introduced,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> as are Cretan hieroglyphs.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Template:Circa – The Sintashta culture emerges in the northern Eurasian Steppe.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Template:Circa – Yu the Great establishes the Xia dynasty in China.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Template:Circa – The beginning of the Middle Kerma culture in Upper Nubia.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Late spring 2049 BC – Seahenge is built in Britain.<ref>Based on tree felling date. Template:Cite web</ref>
• Template:Circa – Mentuhotep II, ruler of the Eleventh Dynasty of Egypt in Thebes, completes the reunification of Egypt following his victory over the pharaohs of Herakleopolis, which marks the beginning of the Middle Kingdom.<ref name="Grimal">Template:Cite book</ref>
• Template:Circa – The earliest bronze age artifacts in Southeast Asia found in the Ban Chiang site in Thailand indicate the absence of a militaristic or urbanized state.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>