The Lifespans of Ancient Civilizations

As part of an examination of the potential collapse of our own civilization, Luke Kemp produced this graphic that shows the lifespans of ancient civilizations.

The average lifespan of those surveyed was 336 years, but some of the longest-lived civilizations were the Vedics, Olmecs, Kushites, and the Aksumites…they each lasted about 1000 years or more. You can check here for the complete list.

See also Collapse by Jared Diamond and Dark Age Ahead by Jane Jacobs.

• infoviz
• Luke Kemp