Human history spans approximately 200,000 years, but recorded history only covers about 5,000 years. This means that only around 2.5% of human history is recorded.
Recorded history began with the invention of writing systems, which allowed humans to document events, laws, and daily life. The earliest known writing systems, such as cuneiform in Mesopotamia and hieroglyphs in Egypt, emerged around 3,000 BCE.
Before this period, our understanding of human history relies on archaeological evidence, such as tools, artifacts, and fossils. These provide insights into early human life but lack the detailed narratives that written records offer.
In summary, while humans have existed for hundreds of thousands of years, the vast majority of our history remains unrecorded, with only a small fraction documented through writing.