All civilizations, how primitive you will call them, have some things in common. All of them have stories and myths about the creation of man, a past area of high civilization and human development and a story of a destructive Flood. American Indians, China, Iran and Ireland are remembered by their saga's and myth of an enormous disaster, that destroyed the Earth, and everything on it, except for Noah and his 7 companions (+ many animals). A planetary restart after a failed experiment?
Another thing many civilizations have in common, is the division of human history in fazes and periods. In the book of Daniel, he explains a dream of king Nebukadnezar of Babylon, which frightened the ruler. Daniel explains the dream, by sketching the development of the history of mankind. Nebukadnezar had dreamt of an huge statue with a golden helmet and head, a silver breast, a bronze cloth and iron legs. The feet and the toes were made of iron mixed with clay. This weak spot made the statue tumble down, when it was hit by a rock.
Many historians underline the historical relevance of Daniel's interpretation. The golden head was the glory of the Babylonians, who would conquered and replaced by a lesser power (silver). This civilization would make way for another power (bronze). Daniel seems to refer to the Medes and Persians, who conquered Babylon. Their enormous Empire would crumble under the military genius, Alexander the Great. But the Greek civilization (bronze) was bleak compared to the Persians (silver), who themselves were conquered by the Romans (iron). The Roman Empire ended about 300 AD. The last phase has come. We are a giant on crumbling feet.
The Greek call this a “Great Year”. Life of mankind is a continuum of decline, which ending is the start of new cycle; which start with a Golden Age. The Hindu calls this the cycles of the Yuga. According to their calculations we are in the middle of the “Kali Yuga”, the dark period, dominated by explosions, ignorance and chaos. It's Kalki, who will start the dance of Sjiva; which will end the Kali Yuga. The problem is: when will this happen? Some people think this will happen on 21-12-2012 (11.11 hr. pm.), Indian scholars made calculations. The Kali Yuga can easily last another 30.000 years. It will only get worse from now on.