Since civilizations prior to widespread literacy (and many after it) routinely destroyed the records and lore of their rivals; we should expect that the first X that we have records of is quite certainly not the first X that existed, especially if its lore makes a big deal of claiming that it is.
This would work if conquerers were also effective at destroying archeological evidence. But they seem not to have been, and a complete archeological record would just settle the question of which city was really first, given some appropriate and agreed upon standard. And that city would be the true dawn.
This would work if conquerers were also effective at destroying archeological evidence. But they seem not to have been, and a complete archeological record would just settle the question of which city was really first, given some appropriate and agreed upon standard. And that city would be the true dawn.