Many people would think the likes and link of knowledge based invention as greatest, like math, written words, print on papyrus till the dawn of modern printing press and global knowledge sharing

However for just basics, sustainable farming, sustainable husbandry, and recycling the farmland was probably one of the greatest invention by mankind (and no I'm not talking about gmo corporation mass farming) ....this happened probably in the turn of the last ice-age when human population began their 1st explosion, if not for this sustainable way to scale, we would be left hungry, sick, and as a species probably died of if we just destroy all flora and fauna vegetation eventually leading to our demise.....aka like Ester Island.

Without the great invention by early society, of sustainable food, water, shelter for the masses, like the Aboriginals of Australia, and the Native Americans, we would have perish and never advance to become a great civilization as we are today