To get a sense of how short a time humans have been here, try counting generations instead of centuries. Most people at least know their grandparents, so that three generations living at one time is not unusual (we have counted a generation as 25 years). Imagine one member of each generation being together in one place. How big a space would they need?

 

	Lascaux (France) c. 12000 BCE This cave was decorated with paintings by people living in the Old Stone Age. Generations: 560		Pyramids (Egypt) c. 2700 BCE These were built as tombs for Egyptian kings. Generations: 188
	Mykenai (Greece) c. 1550 BCE This gold mask was found in the ruins of Mykenai, which seems to have dominated the Eastern Mediterranean in its time. Generations: 142		Socrates 470-399 BCE One of the central figures of Greek philosophy, Socrates went around Athens questioning people, trying to make them face their own ignorance and see what they really valued. Generations: 96
	Augustus Caesar 63 BCE-14 CE The first of the Roman emperors. Generations: 80		Mohammed 570-632 CE Founder of Islam. Generations: 56
	Charlemagne 742-814 Frankish emperor who started a revival of ancient culture. Generations:48		Michelangelo 1475-1564 Sculptor, poet, and painter. A typical "renaissance man." Generations: 20
	Thomas Jefferson 1743-1826 Statesman, philosopher, architect. Principal author of the American Declaration of Independence. Generations: 8		Franklin D. Roosevelt 1882-1945 U. S. president during the second World War. Generations: 4

Barnes 2000 (Rev. 2004)