sentence: 1.8 million years ago : fire and then cooking 500 thousand years ago ( ka ) : shelter construction 400 ka : pigment in zambia 400 ka : spear in germany 200 ka : glue in italy 160 -- 40 ka : burial 110 ka : bead in israel 77 ka : bed in south africa 64 ka : arrowhead in south africa 61 ka : sewing needle in south africa 60 ka : bow 36 ka : cloth woven from flax fiber in georgia 35 ka : flute in germany 28 ka : twisted rope 16 ka : pottery in china 6000 bce : kiln in mesopotamia 5000 - 4500 bce : lacquer in china 5000 - 4500 bce : rowing oar in china .