When did people first start creating poetry?

Poetry has been around for thousands of years, with some of the earliest known poems dating back to ancient civilizations such as Sumeria, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. The exact date of when people first started creating poetry is difficult to pinpoint, but it is believed to have originated as an oral tradition passed down through generations before being written down. Some of the earliest known examples of poetry come from the Epic of Gilgamesh, which dates back to around 2100 BCE. Poetry has since evolved and developed in various cultures and languages around the world.

Paleolithic Era (c. 50,000-10,000 BCE)

- Cave paintings and engravings suggest early forms of visual storytelling and symbolic communication that may have evolved into poetry.