Previous civilizations

I apologise if this has been discussed before I'm sure it must have been really just seems like such an obvious question but here goes anyway.

In reference to recent findings and posts I have seen on this website about man made artifacts found in the middle of stones and coal etc, Is it firstly, possible for a civilization to have been around millions of years ago who created these artifacts.

secondly, What could have wiped these people out to not leave any fossils etc of them and the only things to survive are objects which found themselves in rock. I mean I have a few far out ideas bouncing around in my head but I just don't know.

I'd like to hear your views
Alan

officially the species we belong to evolved from its previous form around 100,000 years ago
for 70,000 years of that we were struggling to survive during an ice age

so if there was a previous civilisation millions of years ago it wasn't human

Originally posted by almeister 5000
In reference to recent findings and posts I have seen on this website about man made artifacts found in the middle of stones and coal etc, Is it firstly, possible for a civilization to have been around millions of years ago who created these artifacts.

What I find with almost all of these is that they were REPORTEDLY found there. In other words, someone shows up and says "I found this in a coal seam" and hands over a glass or a vase or a pot or a hammer. Most of them look reasonably modern in design.

So... you really have to ask "how do you know someone isn't pulling your leg with this." And if the answer is, "well, gee.... nobody would fake something like that" then you probably haven't read up on the history of hoaxes and on how much they'd pay for "ancient things" back in the 1800's.

secondly, What could have wiped these people out to not leave any fossils etc of them and the only things to survive are objects which found themselves in rock.

That's the other strike against the "incredibly old evidence." If it really had been at the bottom of a swamp that got turned into coal, the thing would have been smushed to bits. Plants only turn into coal with heat and a lot of pressure (tons of rock on top of them.)