Tomb Timeline

Burial of the dead in Egypt.

Earliest Egyptian mastabas dug at Saqqara.

Dead buried with grave goods at Banpo Village, China.

First megalithic tombs in Europe.

Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery begins in Sligo, Ireland.

Early Harappan Civilization of India practices burial of the dead.

Newgrange Burial Mound constructed in Ireland.

Stone tombs on Crete.

First rock-cut burial chambers at Akrotiri.

Tomb of the Eagles created in Scotland.

Maeshowe Passage Grave completed in Scotland.

Mayan Culture buries their dead individually under homes.

The Royal Graves of Ur used in Sumer.

The Great Pyramid of Giza is constructed by Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops).

The Balnuaran of Clava (Clava Cairns) is built.

First shaft graves constructed at Mycenae.

First tholos tombs built at Mycenae.

Mycenaean chamber tombs constructed at Thebes.

Greeks implement use of individual tombs and graves.

Tomb of Mayan King K'utz Chman of Retalhuleu constructed in Guatemala.

The Etruscan Regolini-Galassi Tomb is constructed at Cerveteri.

The Etruscan Tomb of the Lionesses is constructed at Tarquinia.

First Emperor of China Shi Huangdi dies, buried with army of 8,000 terracotta warriors in palace tomb.

The Emperor Shi Huangti is buried with a terracotta army of more than 8,000 soldiers in a palace tomb.

The subterranean llama-shaped royal tomb is constructed at the Wari city of Pikllacta.

Last recorded use of Clava Cairns site in antiquity.