Uncontacted contemporaries · 505 overlapping years

Old Kingdom Egypt Elamite Civilization

For 505 years — from 2,686 BCE to 2,181 BCE — both civilizations existed simultaneously. Neither this dataset nor the historical record shows any documented trade, war, or diplomatic contact between them.

2,700 BCE 539 BCE

Old Kingdom Egypt

2,686 BCE–2,181 BCE

Elamite Civilization

2,700 BCE–539 BCE

↑ Overlap begins, 2,686 BCE

Old Kingdom Egypt

Nile Valley, North Africa

The era of Egypt's great pyramid building, governed by pharaohs regarded as living gods.

Elamite Civilization

Southwestern Iran

A persistent Near Eastern power whose political and cultural identity endured for over two millennia alongside Mesopotamia's empires.

Traits both developed independently

With no documented contact, any shared trait below represents independent development rather than transmission from one to the other.

Monumental architecture Bronze metallurgy Irrigation agriculture Standing army Long-distance trade Urban planning

Old Kingdom Egypt only

Astronomical record-keeping
Seafaring

Elamite Civilization only

Iron metallurgy