The Autobiography of Time: The Saga of Human Civilization: Ambition, Greed and Power from the Dawn of Man

By Neil Ray

When 9/11 occurred in front of Author's eyes in New York City, like millions of others he was tormented. Looking at the burning towers with unbearable pain and agony - a simple question struck him – why on earth are we in this crossroad of civilization? Although at that point it had started as an aimless query, later after 16 years of diligent research, he crystalized his thoughts, gaining a much broader perspective and inner-wisdom. In turn, it gave birth to his Magnus Opus - this book The Autobiography of Time.

11/5/20
It’s a non-fiction novel based on world history.

Time is the storyteller in this book, who narrates the saga of mankind to his son Beta; the events that Time has eye-witnessed – from Big Bang up to the end of Iraq War in 2011. Poring through the chapters, it precipitates both regressive and progressive pasts with latent emotions, and hopes to bring to surface the cause and effect of human actions - so that future generations can celebrate the state of true civilization.

As the curtain is raised not on any particular event, country or region; the stage is set on all that occurred concurrently in different parts of the planet; the events those are of import to civilization as we know - thus lending a flavor of every period to the readers, as it moves from one epoch to another. It’s an epic with a purpose.

This book covers mankind’s achievements, moments of glory and sheer good fortune, his innovations and exploration. It revives from oblivion very real anecdotes about key historical personalities. It is based on true stories that had transpired in the past and have shaped this planet – as we see it today.

It’s truly The Saga of Human Civilization; Ambition, Greed and Power from the dawn of man.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Dec 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781480899377

Neil Ray

Neil Ray is a thinker, philosopher, and writer. Born in a progressive intellectual family during the 1960s in India. Son of a legendary law book author and a well-known Judge, he grew up watching his father writing with impeachable integrity. He left Calcutta (now Kolkata), India, in his mid-twenties. After living in the Middle East (Bahrain) and Canada (Toronto), he settled in the United States of America. In addition to being a poet and painter, he enjoys traveling and visited over 25 countries thus far.

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ISBN: 978-1-4808-9936-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4808-9938-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4808-9937-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020922379

Archway Publishing rev. date:  12/02/2020

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About the Author

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A 20-21st Century philosopher, writer, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Neil Ray was born in a progressive intellectual family during the turbulent 1960s in India, which later represented the new wave of modern generations of that country. Son of a legendary law book author and a well-known Judge, he grew up watching his father burning his nights away in his crammed chamber — writing with impeachable integrity almost swallowed with stacks of books from floor to roof.

Neil decided to leave his beloved City of Joy – Calcutta (now Kolkata), India, during his Bohemian mid-20s, and after a short spell in the Middle East (Bahrain) and Canada (Toronto), he settled in the United States (Michigan) – the land of the free and the home of the brave. Apart from being a poet and a painter, he is also an avid reader and traveler. Having toured over twenty-five countries thus far, he has rubbed shoulders with the hoi polloi, sampled local cuisines and always sought to understand alien cultures and values. Married to one of the most beautiful women on earth — a lady of substance, they are blessed with two lovely children, and together they enjoy the beauty of silence and some finer aspects of life.

When 9/11 happened just before Neil’s eyes, like millions of others in New York City, he was tormented. The sight of the burning towers and the unbearable agony of those around, posed a simple question — why on earth are we in this crossroad of civilization? Although at that point it had begun as an aimless query, after 16 years of diligent research and after gaining a much broader perspective and inner-wisdom, he crystalized his thoughts. This gave birth to his Magnus Opus — this book ‘The Autobiography of Time.’

FOREWORD

Horrific though it may seem to Human Civilization, COVID-19 is but a minor culling event of Nature - a sentient Mother Nature that is not only concerned about Mankind’s headlong rush to racial suicide, but determined now to put the brakes on it.

So poignantly explained by the protagonist of this book by Neil Ray, portents of doom are clear: coupled to Mankind’s own self-extermination is that along with his passing, Mankind will ensure that Earth becomes a pressure-cooker like planet a-la Venus – autoclaving all life; even down to microbes.

Inherently, as ordained by Nature, conditions on Earth capable of supporting life should last for another billion years, and thus sustain roughly 30 million generations of human beings. It and life on it has survived even Cosmic Cataclysm (although that proved to be an extinction event for dinosaurs). Alas, it is on the verge of extinction.

But, Neil’s work is not limited to apocalypse alone. It is a telling of the tale of our Civilization that has been around for just 7,000 years and is to end in another 250 years. Having been around for just 250 generations or so; its duration would have constituted but a brief flicker in Time.

Still, it has been an eventful epoch and a stage for fascinating players, diverse peoples and events galore. And Neil tells it simply, truthfully and in all its facets.

This book is clearly not meant to be an academic Historical Tome, despite the exhaustive research that it has obviously demanded. As far as historical fact is concerned its only agenda being presentation of the truth. There is a clear compartment between the actual (or what is best known of it) and the conjectural which is left to the protagonist. The historical content is cleansed of spin.

The matter is presented crisply and while some may find a few explanations to be long, most will find these extremely apt. A question that often pops up in drawing room conversations regarding India is how the richest region in the world became one of the poorest. And invariably, the resident drawing room expert will smugly say – Colonialism! But as Neil points out, the root cause is fragmentation of land, feudalism and overpopulation in that order. And how many know that Baghdad was once the greatest city in the world?

Whether about people or events, prevalent perceptions tend to be distortions of the actual; being either agenda-driven or jingoistic or truisms. This manuscript, extensive researched, does set the record straight on much of our past. Of great interest is its handling of personalities – of idols with feet of clay or of real heroes callously consigned to oblivion by the now generation. While History repeats itself and villains emerge repeatedly, such heroes deserve to be resurrected and Humankind’s debt to them duly recognized.

A sentiment often expressed by Americans is that their efforts and sacrifices for other peoples in last 100 years, especially during WWI and WWII, and often for strangers in alien lands, their generous contributions by way of aid to hundreds of distressed nations, their fight against global terrorism - is not appreciated by much of the world. They are hurt, saddened and some, even deeply offended.

But, in common with a callously disregarding world, how many Americans know that someone who could have been the Mohammed Ali of Wrestling - Iowa born and Iowa bred, made the greatest contribution ever to the sustenance of Human Life. And Neil weaves the saga of this greatest of human heroes so aptly as it runs concurrently with those of a Chinese messiah turned villain and three Indians in roles of supporting heroes.

On many issues, there is no ‘Right’ or ‘Wrong’ judgment – Neil Ray narrates such situations from an impartial viewpoint – and quite often a deserving America emerges in a brighter light – but not necessarily for reasons you might think. As he makes the point, benign cultural attitudes played an important part in America winning the Pacific War.

So Neil Ray’s work should appeal to armchair historians of every kind; the now generation; and indeed anyone who likes stories; for even true stories can be fun. It should also be of interest to experts, for expertise increasingly seems to imply knowing more and more about less and less; and this manuscript is wide in its scope. While it does reflect the seamy side of our civilization, it is also replete with our achievements and nobler facets. If Napoleon’s love-life was a tortured one, FDR’s romance was moving.

Also, History (its outcomes; forks and twists) is a mix of connected sociology, geography, economics, psychology, science, music, the arts and so much else. Neil has adroitly made these connections wherever relevant.

Most importantly he raises the question: Will a manifestation of the Cosmos not intervene – in salvaging what was a wonderful throw of the dice by Nature?

COVID-19 seems to be just such that and just one of a series of culling and near-extermination events that Nature has thrown at Man. It seems so by design almost – cutting down on our proclivity to pollute; drastic in its dealing of the weak, infirm and feeble its effects are marginal on the virile and the fittest for survival. It has influenced our behavior – regrettably perhaps not enough.

One is indeed indebted to Neil Ray for this extensive labour of love that took 16 years in its making. Encomiums are also due to Archway Publishing (from Simon & Schuster) for their commitment in publishing this manuscript.

I hope the book will be read widely and translations made available world-wide for then it would have served the purpose in lending weight to those fighting the battle to ensure continuance of life on Earth.

Sanjay Mukerji

New Delhi

15 August 2020

This book is dedicated to:

Ralph Zuljan

Frank Smitha

Special Thanks to:

Shubhrata Shankar Iyer

In memory of my father – reputed Judge and a genius

law book author of a different level and magnitude.

To

my mother, my existence

my wife Snigdha – you’re the sky,

everything else is merely weather

my two Betas, Anwesha and Aakash, my

gene, my nissani when I’m gone

and to all the good hearted folks around the world,

and generations to come….

MySignature.jpg

"Those who cannot remember the past

are condemned to repeat it."

- George Santayana

CONTENTS -

VOLUME 1

Prologue

Book One - At Dawn - Before Christ

Chapter One

Big Bang to creation of Planet Earth. First appearance of Ardi, Lucy, Homo-sapiens to Survival of remaining thousand breeding couples. Toba Catastrophe to civilization in Mesopotamia, Egypt and Babylon. Pharaoh Ramses to King Hammurabi to Queen Nefertiti. Trojan War to Spartacus to Alexander the Great. Chandragupta Maourya to Assassination of Julius Caesar to love between Mark Antony and Queen Cleopatra to Birth of Jesus Christ.

Book Two - In The Morning -

First Half of the First Millennium

Chapter Two

1st Century – Crucifixion of Jesus Christ to Assassination of Caligula to Suicide of Nero. Spreading of Christianity to Eastern provinces of Roman Emperor to Entry of Buddhism into China.

Chapter Three

2nd Century – Height of Roman Empire to Killing of Roman Emperor Albinus to end of Roman Peace. Expansion of Maya Civilization in Guatemala to First Japanese emissary to China. Transformation of Buddhism and Taoism into a structured religion to Completion of the last Pyramid in Egypt.

Chapter Four

3rd Century – Murder of Emperor Alexander Severus to Assassination of Maximinus to Invasion of Afghanistan by Huns. Collapse of Han dynasty in China to Entry of Kushans into India. Crowning of Chandragupta as Emperor of India and began of Golden Age Invasion of Spain by Franks to End of Parthian Dynasty and start of Sassanid Empire across Persia and Mesopotamia.

Chapter Five

4th Century – Embrace of Christianity by first Roman Emperor Constantine to Rise of Confucianism and Taoism in China to Entry of Buddhism in Korea. Huns invasion of Europe and Russia to Migration of Polynesians into Hawaiian Islands to War of the Eight Princes in China to Expansion by Emperor Chandra Gupta into the Ganges Valley in India.

Chapter Six

5th Century – Rise of Attila the Hun to Decline of Roman Empire, Murder of Theodoric II to Marriage of King of Franks to Burgundian princess Clothilda, Crowing of Skanda Gupta as Empire of Northern India to Founding of Venice. Exodus by the Nahuati-speaking people to Mexico to founding of Teotihuacan Civilization. Establishment of Ghana as superpower of the Sahara Desert to Killing of Hypatia of Alexandria to invasion of Brittany by the Anglo-Saxons.

Book Three - At Noon - Second

Half of the First Millennium

Chapter Seven

6th Century – Rise of Byzantine Empire to Height of Teotihuacan civilization in Mexico to Birth of Prophet Mohammed. Conversion of Chinese Emperor Wu-Ti to Buddhism to Conversion of Spain to Christianity. Killing of King Arthur of Britain to Rise of Persia to Founding of First Buddhist monastery in Japan. Start of silk industry in Europe to Expansion of China’s Great Wall to Entry of Huns into India.

Chapter Eight

7th Century – Ringing of first Church Bell in Rome to Spreading of Buddhism in India, Murdering of Byzantine Emperor Maurice to Crowning Harsha Bardhan’s as Emperor of the Five Indies. Capturing of Damascus and Jerusalem by the Persians to Loot of Holy Cross to Destructing Persian Empire by the Arabs. Progress of Christianity with Anglo-Saxon civilization to Battle of Karbala to Acceptance of Islam as the official religion in Arabia to First Japanese ambassador in China.

Chapter Nine

8th Century - Murder of Byzantine Emperor Justinian II to Arabs crossing the Strait of Gibraltar and conquest of Spain to Establishment of first Muslim state in Sind, India. Comeback of Tang dynasty in China to Begin of Dark Age in Europe under Charlemagne. Death of Japanese Emperor Shomu to Destruction of Mexican city of Teotihuacan. Time of great philosopher Shankara in India to Glorious reign of Caliphs Harun al-Rashid, fifth caliph of the Abbasid dynasty in Iran.

Chapter Ten

9th Century - Rise of Feudalism in Europe to Spread to Buddhism in Cambodia to Spread of Christianity in Scandinavia. Unification of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in England to Augustan Age under Caliph Abdallah al-Mamun to Christian conquest of Spain under Alfanso III. Arabs settling down in southern Italy to First person with the title of Shogun in Japan to Abandoning Maya city Tikal in Guatemala.

Chapter Eleven

10th Century - Migration of Arabs along the coast of East Africa to Migration of Vikings into British Isles, France, and parts of the Mediterranean. First book printing in China to Writing of One Thousand and One Nights in Middle East. Invasion of Maya land by Toltec warriors in Mexico to Killing of Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus by his wife Theophano in Constantinople. Height of Japanese Fujiwara family under Emperor Michinaga to Conversion of Hungary into Christianity. Murder of King Edward of England to Transfer of spiritual center of Judaism from Mesopotamia to Spain.

Book Four - In the Afternoon -

First Half of the Second Millennium

Chapter Twelve

11th Century – Defeat of Hindus in India by Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni to Decline of Byzantine power to Fall of Caliphate of Cordoba. Murder of Macbeth by Malcolm to Conquer of Toledo by King Alfanso of Spain. Canute’s becoming king of England, Denmark, Norway and parts of Sweden to Muslim Turks conquest of Jerusalem to Beginning of Crusades.

Chapter Thirteen

12th Century - Fizzling out of Toltec Empire in Mexico to Accidental drowning death of only legitimate son of King Henry I of England to Beginning of the Second and the Third Crusade to Destruction of Empire of Ghazni by Sultan of Ghori. Introduction of printing press in Europe to Beginning of ‘calculus’ by Bhaskara in India.

Chapter Fourteen

13th Century - Rise of Genghis Kahn to Conquest of Northern India by Sultan of Ghori, Signing of Magna Carta in England to Split between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox Christianity to Period of 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Crusades to Establishment of House of Commons in England. Halt of the Germanic drive into Russia to Beginning of great Ottoman Empire in Constantinople by Turks to Establishment of Delhi Sultanate in Delhi, India by Qutb-ud-din Aibak to Introduction of Zen Buddhism in Japan.

Chapter Fifteen

14th Century – Decline of Byzantine Empire to Murder of William Wallace and gaining of Scottish independence to Beginning of Hundred Years War between England and France. End of Khilji ruler to Beginning of Tughlak dynasty in Sultanate of Delhi, Rise of Mexican Indian Aztecs to Capturing of King of England Edward II by his wife and her lover, Ming Dynasty’s rise to power in China to End of the Kamakura era in Japan to Rise of Timurlong, the Lame.

Chapter Sixteen

15th Century – Accidental discovery of Americas by Columbus to unearthing sea route to India by Vasco da Gama to Portugal’s claim on Brazil. End of Byzantine Empire to Expansion of Ottoman Empire, Murder of King Richard of England to Killing of Joan of Arc to Invention of Parachute by Leonardo da Vinci, Expansion of Inca rule to Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia and Argentina.

Book Five - At Twilight - Second

Half of the Second Millennium

Chapter Seventeen

16th Century - Arrival of Spaniards in Peru and Portuguese in Goa. King Henry VIII’s reign in England to Mogul Emperor Akbar’s reign in India. Ivan the Terrible reign in Russia to Oda Nobunaga’s reign in Japan. William Shakespeare in London to Michelangelo in Italy to Nicolaus Copernicus in Poland to Tulasi Das in India.

Chapter Eighteen

17th Century - First European settlement in America to Portugal’s first port in India to forming of European colonies in Africa. Discovery by Galileo and Isaac Newton to Building of Taj Mahal by Moghul Empire Shah Jehan. Begin of Tokugawa Period in Japan to Assassination of King Henry IV of France to Establishment of Calcutta by British East India Company in India.

Chapter Nineteen

18th Century – Merging of Scotland and England to form United Kingdom of Great Britain to Beginning of history of Australia and New Zealand to Discovery of Hawaiian Islands and Tahiti by Europeans. Establishment of Science Academy in Berlin to Europe’s explosive growth in global commerce. Russian Tsar Peter’s drowning in cold water to British East India Company’s securing trading rights in India for $46 from Mogul to Prince Siraj-ud-Daula’s defeat at Palassey. America’s Declaration of Independence to Beginning of French Revolution.

Chapter Twenty

19th Century – Rise of Britain as industrial power to Discovery of ‘Morphine’ to Publication of Charles Darwin’s book On the Origin of Species. Assassination of Russian Tsar Paul to Napoleon Bonaparte’s rise in power to His final defeat in Waterloo. Leading of Latin American freedom by Bolivar Simon to Leading of U.S Civil War by Abraham Lincoln. Sipoy Mutiny in India to Arrival of U.S as a global power after US-Spain war on Cuba.

Content - Volume 2: 20Th Century to end of the

Iraq War in 2012

Content - Volume 3: Philosoply of Zoibortikism

Books Cited and Recommended

Acknowledgements

PROLOGUE

The seed of this book was planted in my mind in the morning of September 11, 2001 in New York City. Looking at the burning towers with unbearable pain and agony - a simple question struck me – why on earth are we in this crossroad of civilization? Although at that point it had started as an aimless query, at the end it claimed 16 long years of my research; yet I know that it won’t be able to let a leaf fall from a tree! Then, why on earth this effort…?

More than anything, it’s because of my deep interest and passion about three things; Time, Country and Philosophy. Secondly, I believe that, if we judge world events in isolation, view history in slices without viewing it holistically, if we cannot learn from the past by looking retrospectively - we always run the risk of judgmental mistakes; which may lead us to win a battle, or a debate, yet lose a war. Without that core sense, there is always a possibility of not seeing the forest because of the trees.

Besides me, if there is anyone to blame for this book, it would be my charming history professor Paul at University of Maryland. This singular idol, having aroused my passion for history many moons ago, inspired me to excavate brass tacks, which led me to stumble upon a gold mine of eternal verities. If not for him, this book would never have been envisioned. Clad in simple blue jeans, with a Coco-cola in one hand, and a Dominican cigar in another, he used to narrate riveting stories - dipping his ladle into chronicles to dish out the most fascinating of nuggets, with such eloquent flair that I cherished every ounce of those symposiums, and felt eternally ravenous for more. I vividly remember - it was a splendid sunny afternoon in the football field outside, when he commenced a class with a casual mention of the movie Gone with the Wind, and then, even before we could fully comprehend, he effortlessly moved on to American Civil War. One particularly interesting narrative was about an anxious lady from Philadelphia outside the Independence Hall, where deliberations of the Constitutional Convention in 1787 were held in austere confidentiality, asked Benjamin Franklin while he was leaving, "Well, Doctor, what have we got? With no hesitation, Franklin responded magically uttering, A republic, if you can keep it."

What set my mentor apart was the punch he added to his narratives. What might otherwise seem like a soporific colloquium in any other history class around the world was never the case here. He recounted momentous events with the same zest that went into their making - like when in June of 1987 Ronald Reagan stood in front of the infamous Berlin Brandenburg Gate and exclaimed, "Mr. Gorbachev. Tear down this wall", to the unanimous outcry of, We are the People by over a million freedom lovers in front of that same gate after two years just before it was demolished. And Mikhail Gorbachev’s prophetic statement to the International Press just two days earlier, on the 40th anniversary of the foundation of the East Germany, "He, who comes too late will suffer the consequences of history".

No one owns history; yet, we all witness and endure. While one sees a glass half full, another sees it half-empty; even as the first bit is true, it doesn’t necessarily imply the remaining part untrue. No matter how one fries a pancake, there always will be two sides, and none of those sides could be badly motivated. Franz Kafka once said, The history of mankind is the instant between two strides taken by a traveler. Yes. History is ambiguous; it is argumentative, prejudiced and often on a shifting sand. It is said that it is always written by the victors, and the defeated have no recourse. Yet Upanishad says:

Satyam eva jayate.

Means: Truth alone triumphs.

As described by Henry Kissinger, if we examine the events of just last few centuries, almost like a natural law, one country with enough clout, puissance, inspiration and the requisite intellect seems to emerge as the leader to shape the entire international system with its own will. If in the 17thcentury, it was France under Cardinal Richelieu, then it was most certainly Britain in the 18th century, with its concept of Balance of Power, which had, since then, dominated the European power-play for nearly two hundred years. Replacing Britain, what emerged thereafter was the United States of America.

In my mind, there is no single country in the history of mankind that ever wielded such an influence on other nations. It was perceived thus in the 20th century and even today, the pivotal role of the United States has not only been in asserting its military might to maintain the world equilibrium, but also in refraining from taking advantage of its subjugators, and placing moral values above enormous expansion scope abroad – while constantly purifying and undoing their past slipups.

America is not perfect. It has the same issues like any other countries. Yet, my fascination for this nation since my early bohemian youth was particularly for its global leadership, backed by idealism and moral convictions. The early settlers found a vast land with unlimited resources, with almost no resistance and no policy baggage to obey. The nation’s Founding Fathers consciously eliminated all the perils of the European systems at that point, and sought to find a perfect world, the best government and a democratic civic society – on which the entire civilization could look up to. And I’m not shy to confess that like billions others across the globe, I too looked upon America as the light of freedom, a beacon of hope – "a shining city on a hill."

Like a natural law, the world is changing rapidly. The demographic is changing, the knowledge-base is changing, and the attitude is changing. In this early 21st century with the rat-race getting stiffer by the day, emerging nations are catching up with great leaps, and rightly so. Yet, in the meantime, the realities of interdependence have dictated the foreign policy of all the nations on earth based on their respective geopolitical situations. In the era of Facebook, Twitter and iPhone – the world is now truly a global village, with billions of free and open-minded World Citizens.

The relative military might of a handful of powerful nations is bound to decline over time, and some amendments, compromise and regulations are inevitable – and for a good reason. In my mind, this century shall observe two apparent contradictory properties; on one hand, it will experience constant chaos, discrete extremism and fight for fragmentation. And on other hand there will be growing globalization and a common sense of Universal Brotherhood – far beyond mere political boundaries. While core liberal values, persuasion for globalization, the tenets of market-based economy shall remain almost unchanged in most regions, the pressure on limited resources will simultaneously unleash more and more scrutiny on mass immigration and integration beyond borders at the same time, and more particularly by populous demands. Thus, global leaders – the true leaders shall continue to face insurmountable challenges on upholding equality and advocating broader prosperity for all - against mere practicality and short-term regional gain.

As decades will pass by, there would be more and more nations in a position to challenge predominance of a handful of powerful nations, and as a result the overall quality and the benchmark of this civilization shall constantly endeavor to reach new heights. Simultaneously, all nations have become aware of the presence of a new set of trials that pose a threat to civilizations – global warming, population explosion, nuclear proliferation, global terrorism and economic interdependencies. Nations have also begun to realize that these can be addressed only collectively.

Ronald Reagan once said, "We champion freedom not only because it is practical and beneficial, but because it is morally right … Backing this statement was Barak Obama’s proclamation in UN, which held ample legitimacy when he stated, An individual is free to determine his own destiny, and live with liberty, dignity, justice and opportunity. We believe that freedom and self-determination are not unique to one culture. It is not simply an American value or Western value. These are universal values…" I believed it then. I believe it today. Yes, Freedom and Self Determination are two magical words. Let us add two more to it - Opportunity and Peaceful Coexistence.

‘Men will come, men will go and only the best will stay’. Similarly Kings and Sultans to Empires and Dynasties - will also come and go. Every civilization of a nation after reaching its pinnacle is bound to be redefined, if not decline - while other nations compete for the same apex, and this cycle of race which is spontaneous and inevitable at the same time, will persist. This ongoing tussle has been occurring for ages, and will continue for forever, as our fundamental inherent characteristic is desire to prosper whether as a nation, a religion, a profit-seeking corporation or a single individual.

Yet, for many nations, the existence of Balance of Power - Sphere of Influence and broad inclination of maintaining Status-quo deter the Big Fish from swallowing Small Fishes at their will, which in turn allows the co-existence of over hundred-ninety diverse and sovereign nations on this amazing planet. Yet, the struggle, the diplomacy and tug-of-war continues on the surface, as well as under the carpet. Often it is like a double-edged sword. The underlining questions are - where to draw a line in the sand, how to juggle the balls in the air, and simultaneously maintain global balance? In many domestic fronts, the question shall remain – if democratic liberal values can be used against democracy itself to topple it? In the international front, the question shall remain – when several other powerful nations are not quite democratic, how democratic values can still be upheld in test of time? If World War III is for Oil, World War IV is likely to be for Water – all on unsustainable demand for limited Natural Resources due to colossal population explosion and other things.

One of the ways to cope with this situation is to put knowledge to proper use and utilize science and technology to the hilt, where a football stadium size paddy field shall be able to feed few thousands, instead of a handful. And that’s probably the answer. Thus territorial expansions in the past are now replaced by dollar diplomacy, and quite rightly, as in this interconnected world people are looking for competitive advantages and victory over contention is the norm.

Meanwhile Society, also has been taking the middle course over centuries. It has neither adopted all suggestions of a Functional Force quite quickly, nor has it rejected the discourse of a Dysfunctional Force all together. It flows somewhere in between these two radically opposite competing forces, and has constantly adjusted its metaphoric presence over a period of time; all towards a better, cultured society.

As the vicious cycle of ‘a country is poor because it’s poor’ situation is not healthy– the true measure of global economic growth is indeed in bringing more and more "new consumers" from their shadows and from all parts of this planet, to the fore. This enormous collective buying power will then spend more and more, thus demand and supply and this in turn will circulate and re-circulate money to fetch more values, and the struggle between calculated deficit and balanced surplus will bring out the most desirable kind of economic prosperity which will then touch billions, reduce acute cycle of poverty, and enhance the living standard of this civilization to new heights. Yet, at the wake of this economic progress, it is imperative that equilibrium is maintained so that ethics are not compromised - because moral enhancement also matters.

When judges in ancient Athens condemned Socrates to death for his outspokenness, he made a profound statement in the history of mankind, "unexamined life is not worth living" and, the long journey of modern philosophy began from that very moment. In this book I have attempted to take a modest journey into that treasure land – as I have always believed that self-introspection and living a philosophical life is not only vital, it is essential.

This brings to mind Philosopher John Stuart Mill’s words, ‘it is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied.’ While most people sleep-walk all their life and for many breathing is synonymous to existing, a baggage-free, less-abstract and less-mystic, simple yet an organic philosophy (Zoibortikism) crossed my mind, who’s core is ‘respect for all and mutual co-existence’ and which advocates that, in the middle of a desert with only half a bottle of water in hand and a dying thirsty stranger on the ground, knowing that no one will ever know my action and how I will act under such circumstances is a reflection of my true self.

From Chanakya’s Arthashastra to Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf, from Bolivar Simon’s Jamaica Letter to Karl Marx’s Das Kapital, from Vladimir Lenin’s April Theses to Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations, from Nationalism to Communism to Capitalism, and every ‘ism’ in between, ultimately manifests the basic instinct of Charles Darwin’s struggle for existence; survival of the fittest. In a nutshell, oppression through imperialism was immoral, democracy prevails, free-market-economy triumphs, money talks, denying opportunity a crime, poverty the biggest sin, global warming the real threat, and life is more than a race.

I don’t believe that my puppet is better than yours. And I refuse to discriminate people. Life experience differs, perspective differs, opportunity differs, aspiration differs, situation differs, analytical ability differs, talent differs, culture differs, value differs and so are our individual point-of-views. It’s healthy. It’s necessary. And it’s beautiful. At the end, love is the answer – and accepting people the way they are. "We can love completely without complete understanding".

Like the way Vyasadev uttered Srimad-Bhagavatam to his beloved son (which is the most complete and authoritative exposition of Vedic knowledge, covering everything from the nature of the self to the origin of the universe) Time here narrates the saga of mankind to his son Beta; the events that Time has eye-witnessed – from Big Bang up to the end of Iraq War in 2011. Poring through the chapters, it precipitates both regressive and progressive pasts with latent emotions, and hopes to bring to surface the cause and effect of human actions - so that future generations can celebrate the state of true civilization.

I wish there was a book like this while I was in my audacious 20s.

As the curtain is raised not on any particular event, country or region; the stage is set on all that occurred concurrently in different parts of the planet; the events those are of import to civilization as we know - thus lending a flavor of every period to the readers, as it moves from one epoch to another. The book covers mankind’s achievements, moments of glory and sheer good fortune, his innovations and exploration. It revives from oblivion very real anecdotes about key historical personalities.

While history is mostly focused on victors, this book has a fresh and exciting shift from that, and also shows a very different perspective. The core objective is to open up the universe a bit more so that the collective imagination of the human race is not reduced.

This is not a book of historic scholarship. That was neither the attempt nor the intent. It’s more of a non-fiction novel, where instead of a ‘journalist’s journal’ my endeavor was to make this more like a ‘poet’s diary’. Despite my due diligence, I can neither guarantee that all details in this book are beyond dispute, nor can I claim that I could encompass every event and all personalities; it’s such a vast canvas. I’m aware that, therefore, this book couldn’t do justice to all situations and all perspectives.

The Autobiography of Time is the most intimate of writing projects I could ever conceive, and in that process of discovery, in a curious way it also kindled a metamorphosis of my own self. During these 16 wonderful years, I felt increasingly lonely when I was not in close proximity with my manuscript; writing, editing and refining, almost every single day and night – and a soft cherishing thought never left me unaccompanied.

Creativity has no army and no enforced mandate. Yet it has its own calling, and when it does, it can climb mountains. Literature is not only a reflection of human reality, but also an expression of human liberty. I always believe how fortunate we are to live in a world where freedom of expression is not only kept alive, but also nurtured; the freedom of expression - the single most expression on which almost all other freedoms are dependent on. It is almost impossible to realize how rare this gift is, until that is denied. Thus this freedom should neither be taken lightly nor for granted.

No book is ever really the work of one single individual, and this one is no exception. I’m deeply indebted and thankful to historian and scholar Ralph Zuljan and Frank Smitha. I’m also thankful to Shubhrata Shankar Iyer (Mumbai), Tapas Kumar Sen (Kolkata) and Sanjay Mukerji (Delhi) for their long support and unwavering believes in me and my vision. My sincere thanks Archway Publishing (from Simon & Schuster) for their commitment in publishing this book. This is also the finest time for a writer to live when the world is transforming so rapidly. Writing is a solitary experience, while reading too is a creative act for a better self and for time-travel – even if we do both those actions alone in isolation, and more we do more we perceive empathy towards other human beings.

I’d like to conclude with few lines from Upanishad:

Om! May my speech be based on the mind;

May my mind be based on speech.

O Self-effulgent One, reveal Thyself to me.

May my speech and mind be the

carriers of the Veda to me.

…

Om! Let there be Peace in me!

Let there be Peace in my environment!

Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me!

My intention is not to challenge, offend, or disrespect anyone, any faith, or any nation. I’m just a storyteller simply narrating strength and vulnerability of human spirit – neither on anyone’s side and nor with any preconceived notion or agenda. Yet, like Nobel Laureate John von Neumann once said "I’m throwing a stone….there will be ripples", who knows. At the end of the day, if this book stirs some meaningful thoughts, I shall think that’s worth the salt.

All because history is a tremendous teacher!

Neil Ray

Michigan, United States of America

December 11, 2017

Feel free to email feedback/appreciation to:

[e-mail]

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BOOK ONE

At Dawn

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(Before Christ)

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CHAPTER ONE

(Before Christ)

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M y name is Time.

I have had no beginning and will have no end. I have been ticking relentlessly since time immemorial. Within my infinite tenure have existed flourishing civilizations, primeval faiths, serendipitous discoveries, mystical practices, formidable dynasties, countless chronicles, eventful epochs, pioneering ideas, ravaging wars and groundbreaking innovations!

I’m formless and free-spirited. I belong to no creed, because I’ve existed even before existence came into existence. I’ve no abode, and no national boundaries can confine me. I am omnipresent and omniscient. I’m as free as a bird soaring to witness the Universe, and nothing escapes my spectacle. In my ceaseless flight, I have raced against sectarian doctrines that schemed to clip my wings and have escaped races and cults that have hoped to pin me down. Thus, I have watched over this Universe with unblinking and unflinching eyes all that it holds and all that has come to pass. Every niche and crevice of Planet Earth has lain bare to my gaze and every secret exposed! I’ve been here even before you were born and will be here after you play your role.

I am time. And this is my story – the saga of all that has unfolded and also of those that are waiting to unfold in my wings; the tale of all that has crawled forth the dark abysm of this planet; the truth that is unfolding right now at this present moment. Running through my conscience is a secret river, which flows insistently and whose undeniable presence I feel in my every heartbeat. Its placidity reflecting my outer calm often belies the turbulence of every ripple that is cast on my cosmic canvas by a momentous event or a gruesome deed.

As I behold the changes in Nature and life at large, this river is my constant companion flowing with me from the Nile to the Rhine, from the Tigris to the Thames, from the Ganga to the Volga, from the Bosphorus to the Euphrates, and from the Yellow River to the Hudson Bay; flowing from civilization to civilization, country to country, city to city and village to village, from the formidable past, to the happening present and into the unknown future. As I flow, so does my benediction flow, waiting to bless all evolving civilizations, to touch every new horizon that is a harbinger of hope, for, life is hope and hope is what makes life magical; almost surreal.

And Beta, my son — I shall now narrate my story to you.

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"The more clearly we can focus our attention on

the wonders and realities of the Universe about

us, the less taste we shall have for destruction."

—Rachel Carson

O ur story dates back to a peaceful quiet night in Holmdel, New Jersey in 1965.

While the placid Moon shot her silvery moonbeam earthward, Arno A. Penzias and Robert W. Wilson, mere earthlings and radio astronomers, diverted their gaze to take a peek into a telescope to measure the brightness of the sky. Armed with a formerly abundant 20-foot horn-shaped radio telescope, the duo was busy lucubrating to throw light on the brilliance of the galaxy. The majestic New York skyline glowed and glittered against the inky grey sky that was set aglow by the silver ball. And suddenly, splintering the silence was a persistent noise that steadily emanated from every direction — a noise that was virtually impossible to ignore.

The duo decided to turn the antenna by 180 degrees in the opposite direction to rule out any urban interference, yet the noise persisted. Upon close examination, they discovered a few pigeons had nested inside the telescope and had their droppings all over! Perceiving that the droppings could be the cause of the disturbance they cleaned the mess and stopped the birds from roosting. However, to their utter disappointment the vexing sound ceased to fade.

The puzzled scientists could neither fathom nor gather the source of the disturbance.

Beta, what was initially thought of as a mechanical defect of an old telescope, eventually became the greatest discovery of the 20th Century — The Big Bang! This serendipitous discovery led man to the knowledge that the Universe sprang up more than 13.8 billion years with a gigantic colossal explosion!

Nearly over 4 billion years ago, I witnessed how Planet Earth was born as a tiny speck that erupted from the aftermath of that accident; it was created from debris left over from the formation of the Sun. It was after this debris began colliding and gathering and had enough material, that gravity came into play. Eventually those masses had become about twenty planets rotating in their respective orbits around the Sun. Those planets also had collided among themselves, and subjected to relentless bombardments by asteroids, and one such massive collision had created the Moon. At that point, the temperature of Earth was about 11,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Slowly the molten lava cooled down to shape up as lands and oceans. I was also witness to how natural cycle, powerful forces from within, had modeled and remodeled, shaped and reshaped this planet since then.

Can you imagine!? For you, the Earth appears as a vast space and an abode for a swarm of living beings, but it is a mere tiny ball; a mere speck in this Universe!

Life needs light for sustenance just as it needs water and warmth; an unseen force that men call ‘Universe’, may have over 100 billion milky-way galaxies, and each of those galaxies may have over 100 billion stars revolving around it. The Universe is not static, but expanding. Moreover, it is not merely expanding, it is also accelerating, galaxies and stars are moving more and more apart from each other — faster than the speed of a light. Also, there may not be just one Universe; there may be multiverses as well.

Why this complex phenomenon? No event is a quirk as the existence of every planet or star is to facilitate an occurrence, which is beyond human comprehension, for every presence is a cause and effect relationship with another. Yet, this is not the end. If you thought creation is over and complete, then you’re mistaken. For every creation that is thought of as a masterpiece, there is another Magnum Opus! The existence of yet another galaxy so far away that its light would take nearly thirteen billion years to reach the Earth can be stunning to know! Knowing the speed of light, the distance between that new galaxy and this Earth is eighty sextillion miles, which is eighty followed by twenty-one zeroes! 80,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. Imagine…

The Upanishad says:

Purnam adah, purnam idam, purnat purnam udacyate.

Purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavasisyate.

Means: Infinity is that.

Infinity is this.

From Infinity, Infinity has come into existence.

From Infinity, when Infinity is taken

away, Infinity remains.

(Courtesy: Sri Chinmoy)

As humans found that there are more than 1 Octillion planets in this universe (which is 1 followed by 24 zeros — 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000), they began their exploration to probe if there are more planets holding lives; anxious to know, "Are men alone in this colossal space?" Yet, I observe how the silence from the Universe has been deafening.

Every civilization has eagerly marched ahead to discover the mysteries of this Universe and a host of brilliant brains over the centuries has built up an enormous body of research, with several assumptions, hypotheses, arguments and theories. Yet amazingly, not all of them have been proved conclusive, for the Universe is still shrouded in a veil of obscurity, which no human can and will have a patent on; the ultimate copyright rests with me — Time! From my observation, there is not just one Big Bang but a succession of more, happening ever so often. Even at this very moment, as we are engaged in this exchange, unbeknownst to us, the forces of the Universe are conspiring to catalyze this awesome phenomenon somewhere!

The Universe will always remain an unfathomable mystery, for the veil of mystery covering the Creation of this Universe has not yet and will never be lifted by any force or wisdom. Remember, even as the horizon of human knowledge expands, the boundaries of this wonder will sprawl even further. The mystery will only deepen even more than the deepest ocean and will loom larger than the loftiest peak!

Imagine!

Even as the mystery of this Universe deepens, so does the thirst and curiosity of the Universe’s most ingenious creations — Homo-Sapiens! In his quest for knowledge, man has dived into the depths of oceans, scaled heights, and has taken off to space and brought back a wealth of wisdom.

So, is there really a limit to human knowledge and definite boundary that sets limits to this Universe? No. The Infinite, and me, the Eternal Time is the only witness to that. All that is known is that this Earth is smaller than a tiny drop of water in the Milky Way, an infinitesimal speck in this immeasurably vast and boundless Universe. Thus, the personal presence of any man or woman, his or her individual existence in this immeasurably gigantic Universe is only insignificant and inconsequential in the context of Eternal Time. Little wonder then that this inexplicable event of creation of this infinite ever-expanding colossal Universe leaves most men spellbound, overwhelmed and perplexed, often creating a deeply spiritual strain.

As the English poet John Keats puts it, "It teases us out of thought".

Beta, it’s not mere history that shall be chronicled in my narration. It is down memory lane that I shall be taking you, wherein you’d catch a glimpse of the many facets of human personalities, their persona, motives and intentions. As you would wade through countless eras, witnessing vicarious exploits, you shall be privy to human nature that will emerge as ubiquitous and universal even as civilizations flourish and crumble — all under the power of human force; brutal force that has been kindled by the greed for power, mindless cruelty as a means to achieve an end, and shameless betrayals. Nevertheless, there will also be stories exemplifying human kindness, tales of souls who triumphed over injustice, the saga of the power of human resources and strength to conquer through revolt; about prosperous kingdoms, about the zeal for freedom, fairness, equality and justice and the force that questions prejudice. And undeniably, beyond it all, this is also a story of relentless drive to expand one’s sphere of influence, either as a nation, as a race, as a religion or as an individual. This civilization has been enriched by many remarkably versatile, many-splendored men, who with their fiery imagination, wealth of thoughts and profound wisdom have illumined human existence, broadened human ken and uplifted souls, physically, metaphorically and above all spiritually.

If the Earth of humans is a speck, then this so-called knowledge of humans, acquired through puny instruments, must be regarded as a speck more than total ignorance. My casual glance at the 20th century world, only confirmed this span as nothing but blind arrogance of the human race.

Let’s continue with this journey…

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"The Universe will always remove

what is no longer serving you."

—Gabriel Bernstein

L ife existed well before the arrival of Jesus Christ, and the Earth existed much, much before that. It is believed that the oldest cities that developed on Earth were in the vicinity of Mesopotamia, some five thousand years before the birth of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, let’s travel back even further.

This is the story of Evolution — the advent of various human species in different phases of history in different facets of this planet; of the birth of civilizations, their ascendency, finally their decline and ultimately their final fade off.

Over four million years ago, in what is today known as Ethiopia in Africa, lived a species, called Ardi. These barely 4-foot-tall creatures, were closely related to the ancestors of humans. Interestingly, they used to walk on their two feet, the kind of knuckle-walking those gorillas and chimpanzees indulge in. They had pelvises that facilitated tree-climbing. The arms often extended beyond their knees and the phalanges of the hands were short but straight unlike the elongated curve so common in chimpanzees. Endowed with a shaggy body, they were a sight! After a million years, members of the biological family Hominidae, of which the relic named Lucy, was an example, appeared in the same region. These about 3-foot 8-inches tall creatures had a pronounced angle on knee joints; could walk upright and could even run. This last enabled them to flee from danger.

Nearly two and a half million years ago, yet another species called Homo Habilis had inhabited the area known today as Tanzania in Africa. They were shorter with disproportionately long arms compared to modern humans, and developed stone tools. Then nearly one and a half million years ago, a species called Homo Erectus came into being and spread as far as what is today known as India, China and Java. They were the first human species to have walked completely upright. Nearly one million years ago, or shortly thereafter, another species that also used some kind of stone tools, existed in eastern England.

Finally, about two hundred thousand years ago, Homo Sapiens made an appearance in Africa. This species had a greater part of their brain suited to language and speech than Homo Erectus.

Beta, after a series of hit and trial, after creating numerous humanoid types, Nature seemed to have achieved her goal. After the emergence of Homo Sapiens though, no further distinct humanoid species has made an appearance. However, you never know!

About seventy thousand years later, the Eemian Interglacial Period commenced. For the next five thousand years or so, warm weather allowed forests to spread even above the Arctic Circle. By then another species, Homo Genus Neanderthals, made its appearance in what is Europe today. Strangely, they could communicate with complex vocal sounds similar to those of humans.

Many thousand years ago, the Eemian Interglacial Period came to an end, and another Ice Age began. And, by then humans had developed the capability to acclimatize and survive extreme climate changes. Another thirty-five thousand years passed and the creatures in what is Africa today began to move from the east and the south to the west and to the north. They slowly started displacing other humanoids, except the Khoisan and Pygmy types. These would also deplete in numbers but in a more gradual way.

If Nature is generous in creation, she can be utterly ruthless in destruction. About seventy thousand years ago, on the island of Sumatra, what occurred was a catastrophic and massive volcanic eruption. This ushered in a volcanic winter extending as far as Africa. Years later, a lake was formed at the site of this gargantuan explosion. This water body would become known as Lake Toba. It is the largest volcanic lake on Earth and is located in the middle of the northern part of the Indonesian island.

While triggering extreme climate change, the Toba Catastrophe also affected human population in Asia. Repeated catastrophes, though not on this scale, wiped out many species of mammals and impacted hominids as well, causing a sharp decline in the numbers capable of breeding. Consequently, there would occur, instances of what is called genetic bottlenecking. Humankind has often been close to extinction and has a very small genetic pool. It should be borne in mind that the Toba Super-volcano threw up 2,800 cubic kilometers of matter, nearly 35 times the matter ejected by the Tambora Volcano that led to a year without summer in 1816.

This would be followed by alternating cycles of overall warmer and colder weather. A little over fifty-five thousand years ago, planet Earth soon began getting warmer. It was a period when the Indonesian islands were connected to a part of the Asian mainland and New Guinea, Australia and Tasmania made up one continent known as Sahul.

Beta! Nature often courses her way unwittingly; she simply throws the dice.

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"It is not the strongest of the species that

survives or the most intelligent; it’s the one that

is most adaptable to change that survives."

—Charles Darwin

M igration out of Africa started about fifty thousand years ago, when severe drought had affected Africa. The forefathers of today’s humans moved via coastal routes even as far away as India in the hope of seeking a safe haven.

Beta, the Earth then, wasn’t demarcated by boundaries and so belonged to all of humanity just as much as it belonged to all species inhabiting it. Man was not labeled as superior or inferior.

Once migration occurred, breeding was instinctive. Thus, mating between Neanderthals and a species called Denisovans introduced genes that would later help modern humans cope with viruses. Within five thousand years, humans had reached an area just three hundred miles south of what today is Moscow.

Migration happened as and when climatic changes (and even population pressures) forced masses to leave familiar ground in search of greener pastures. Tribes moved, populated, mated and created a wider gene pool. Some tribes also became extinct, but certainly not without passing on some of their genetic attributes. Most importantly during this phase, Man learned to make fire and implements.

Nearly forty-two thousand years ago some tribes crossed the waters from Sunda in Southeast Asia to enter the continent of Sahul. They were the first native Australians. Nearly thirty-eight thousand years ago Neanderthals in Europe numbered no more than just ten thousand. The Neanderthals were as tall as contemporary humans, and were already using stone tools. Eventually, in Asia, Neanderthals faced extermination; soon, Homo Erectus were also on their way out and within the next few thousand years, Neanderthals almost disappeared from Europe.

It was at about that period a species called Paleo-Indians crossed from Siberia to Alaska and began to move into North America. They began employing innovative techniques to hunt for food by using spears, which were made by attaching sharp pointed stones to the ends of poles. The Paleo-Indians typically hunted large mammals in northern parts of that region. However, due to the uncontrolled pace of hunting when the numbers of these mammals began to dwindle, they resorted to consuming plants and bulbs.

Nearly twenty-five thousand years ago the last Ice Age reached its peak. Thereafter, Native Americans belonging to that period were beginning to diverge genetically from their Asian ancestors. These Asian ancestors were to die out in Northeastern Siberia. Yet on land between Siberia and Alaska – a land that was dry as a result of low sea level that had accompanied the Ice Age of that period, they managed to survive.

About ten thousand years before Christ, Homo-Sapiens slowly became the sole surviving humanoid species with the most superior ability to plan and communicate. These humans eventually spread out in different directions, and occupied most of the Earth’s habitable places, and eventually evolved into what humans are today. Skillful use of resources for adaptation and subsequent survival in an ever-changing environment became second nature to this superior species.

The innovative streak in man led him to explore his world, seek newer possibilities, stretch his limits and make the Universe work for him. And when a ‘never say die’ spirit is exuded, the Universe absorbs it and conspires to extend its co-operation.

Climates became warmer, wetter and more stable and the planet became the abode of just about five million humans, amongst which almost all were hunter-gatherers.

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"The first man who, having fenced off a plot of land

thought of saying, ‘This is mine’ and found people

simple enough to believe him, was the real founder

of civil society. How many crimes, wars, murders,

how many miseries and horrors might the human

race had been spared by the one who, upon pulling

up the stakes or filling in the ditch, had shouted to

his fellow men, ‘Beware of listening to this imposter;

you are lost if you forget that the fruits of the earth

belong to all and that the Earth belongs to no one."

—Jean Jacques Rousseau

B y a nd large, humanoids appeared on this planet nearly a million years ago. This period witnessed many phenomenal changes affecting the Earth that in turn tested man’s adaptability. When ice-sheets covered the whole of northern Asia, Europe and America, arable lands were few and far between. Eventually, when the climate got warmer, seeds sprouted; plants matured and the creatures discovered this and took to cultivation.

The Earth belonged to everyone and everything that inhabited it. Those were the times when there were neither races nor nations, neither states nor countries. Men and women lived in small groups, clans or tribes and had no fixed dwelling and dwelt wherever a cover existed, such as in trees and caves. In warmer regions they feasted on fruit and berries, in cooler climes they largely hunted for food and consumed raw meat. Where warm there was no need to cloak their bodies and where cold, they used animal skins for protection.

Beta, I’m Time and I’ve lived through ages, witnessing evolution and the birth of civilizations; their refinement and obliteration too. I have witnessed Man’s intelligence in adapting to his environment and have appreciated his ground-breaking inventions. I have seen him progress from strength to strength and have marveled at his perseverance.

And this is a fascinating story of humanity’s struggle for survival. At the time they were down to the last few hundred breeding adults, it seemed they were done for. Then in a wonderful display of intelligence, application, adaptation and sheer perseverance, humanity flourished!

Of course, man had ancestors: Hominin is the term they now use for all their immediate ancestors, going back to even extinct species such as Australopithecus, Paranthropus and Ardipithecus. And Hominid is the term they now reserve for the ancestors of the Great Apes. Hominids may be considered ancestors of the Hominin.

The saga of the Hominin goes back to more than three million years. And soon thereafter began the Stone Age, which is actually part of Human Pre-History. After the emergence of Homo Sapiens it merged into the Bronze Age. This was close to 4,000 years ago, when Man found copper and started