Editing Ancient history of Afghanistan (section)

==Prehistoric era==
[[Louis Dupree (professor)|Louis Dupree]], the [[University of Pennsylvania]], the [[Smithsonian Institution]] and others suggest that humans were living in Afghanistan at least 50,000 years ago, and that [[farming]] communities of the region were among the earliest in the world.<ref name="JFS" />
{{Blockquote|[[Archaeology|Archaeologists]] have found evidence of human habitation in Afghanistan from as far back as 50,000 BC. The artifacts indicate that the [[indigenous people]] were small farmers and herdsmen, as they are today, very probably grouped into tribes, with small local kingdoms rising and falling through the ages.}}

Afghanistan seems in prehistory, as well as in ancient and modern times, to have been connected by culture and trade with the neighbouring regions. Urban civilization may have begun as early as 3000 to 2000 BC.<ref name="Dupree"/> Archaeological finds indicate the possible beginnings of the Bronze Age, which would ultimately spread throughout the ancient world from Afghanistan. It is also believed that the region had early trade contacts with [[Mesopotamia]].<ref>Warwick Ball, 2008, 'The Monuments of Afghanistan: History, Archaeology and Architecture': 261, London.</ref>

===Indus Valley civilization===
{{main|Indus Valley civilization}}
The [[Indus Valley civilization]] (IVC) was a [[Bronze Age]] civilization (3300–1300 BCE; mature period 2600–1900 BCE) extending from what today is northwest [[Pakistan]] to northwest India and northeast Afghanistan.<ref name="The Ancient Indus pp.1"/> An Indus Valley site has been found on the [[Oxus River]] at [[Shortugai]] in northern Afghanistan.<ref>Kenoyer, Jonathan Mark (1998). Ancient cities of the Indus Valley Civilization. pp.96</ref> Apart from Shortughai is [[Mundigak]], another notable site. There are several smaller IVC colonies to be found in Afghanistan.