26th century BC

The 26th century BC is a century which lasted from the year 2600 BC to 2501 BC.

Events

*c. 2900 BC–2334 BC — Mesopotamian wars of the Early Dynastic period continue.
*c. 2600 BC — The Harappan civilization rises to become a powerful civilization.
*c. 2600 BC — Pre-Palace Period, phase I, in Crete (Mellersh 1970)
*c. 2600 BC–2500 BC — Wild horses still provide hunting feasts in Denmark. (Clutton-Brock)
*c. 2589 BC — Pharaoh Khufu starts to rule (other date is 2601 BC).
*c. 2578 BC — Khufu died.
*c. 2575 BC — Old Kingdom in Egypt 4th Dynasty Snofru is Pharaoh. (Atlas of Egypt 1989)
*c. 2570 BC — Khafra started to rule in Ancient Egypt.
*c. 2566 BC — Pharaoh Khufu dies (other date is 2578 BC).
*c. 2558 BC — Pharaoh Khafra starts to rule (other date is 2570 BC).
*c. 2550 BC — Estimated date of completion of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
*c. 2550 BC — Egyptian rulers contact Western Desert oases, such as Dakhla Oasis.
*c. 2550 BC — About this time, Mesannepada is king of Ur (followed by his son, ) who founds the First dynasty of Ur and overthrows the last king of Uruk, as well as Mesalim of Kish. [Roux 1980]
*c. 2544 BC — Khafra died.
*c. 2533 BC — Menkaura started to rule in Ancient Egypt.
*c. 2532 BC — Pharaoh Khafra dies (other date is 2544 BC).
*c. 2532 BC — Pharaoh Menkaura starts to rule (other date is 2533 BC).
*c. 2515 BC — Menkaura died.
*c. 2510 BC – 2460 BC — Ti watching a hippopotamus hunt, tomb of Ti, Saqqara, Fifth dynasty of Egypt, is made. Discovered by French archeologist Auguste Mariette in 1865.
*c. 2503 BC — Pharaoh Menkaura dies (other date is 2515 BC).
*c. 2500 BC — The legendary line of Sanhuangwudi rulers of China is founded by Huang Di.
*c. 2500 BC — the construction of the stone circle at Stonehenge begins and continues for the next five hundred years.
*c. 2500 BC — "Menkaura and a Queen, perhaps his wife, Queen Khamerernebty II" sculpture, later found at Giza. Fourth Dynasty. It is now in Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

ignificant people

*c. 2601 BC–2578 BC — reign of Pharaoh Khufu of Egypt's Fourth Dynasty

*2599 — Huni is Pharaoh. (Atlas of Egypt 1989)
*2575 — Old Kingdom in Egypt; 4th Dynasty; Sneferu is Pharaoh. (Atlas of Egypt 1989)
*2528 — Ra'djedef is Pharaoh. (Atlas of Egypt 1989)
*2520 — Khep-heren (Ra'kha'ef) is Pharaoh. (Atlas of Egypt 1989)

Deaths

2566 — Khufu dies

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

*Rock drawings at Rødøy in Norway show the use of skis
*Bactrian Camel and Dromedary are domesticated

Decades and years