27th century BC

The 27th century BC was a century which lasted from the year 2700 BC to 2601 BC.

Events

Statuette of Imhotep in the Louvre. He is the first architect and physician whose name was recorded and has survived to modern times.

China

• c. 2697 BC: The mythical Yellow Emperor starts to reign in China.

Egypt

• c. 2700 BC: End of the Early Dynastic Period in Egypt, beginning of the Old Kingdom of Egypt comprising the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Dynasties.
• c. 2686 BC: End of Second Dynasty of Egypt with the death of Khasekhemwy, start of Third Dynasty, likely with Djoser (fl. c. 2681–2662 BC).
• Djoser builds the step pyramid with Imhotep as Vizier of Egypt and architects of the construction. Imhotep might have lived into the reign of Djoser's successor Sekhemkhet.
• c. 2685 BC: Bull lyre from the tomb of Queen Puabi, Ur (modern Muqaiyir, Iraq) was made. It is now in University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
• 2613 BC: Egypt—End of Third Dynasty of Egypt with the death of Huni, start of Fourth Dynasty under Sneferu
• c. 2601 BC – c. 2515 BC: Giza pyramid complex is built for Menkaure, Khafra and Khufu of the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt

Mesapotamia

• 2900 BC – 2334 BC: Mesopotamian wars of the Early Dynastic period.
• 2600 BC: End of the Early Dynastic II Period and the beginning of the Early Dynastic IIIa Period in Mesopotamia.

Other

• 2627 BC – 20th century BC: Construction of the Caral metropolis in Peru
• 26th century BC: Mature Harappan phase of the Indus Valley Civilisation begins. The cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro become large metropolises and the civilization expands to over 2,500 cities and settlements across the whole of Pakistan, much of northern India, and parts of Afghanistan and Iran, covering a region of around one million square miles, which was larger than the land area of its contemporaries Egypt and Mesopotamia combined, and also had superior urban planning and sewage systems. The civilization began using the mature Indus script for its writing system.