Hacker News Reader

If Göbekli Tepe doesn't count as an indication of a civilization, I don't know what does.

Requirement for a writing system is an arbitrary condition. A lot of civilizations, especially in that region, have strong oral traditions.

We have also been oblivious to other culture’s writing systems before.

Also would a knotted thread record keeping system count as writing?

The jury is out on quipu. There are very primitive tribes which use some forms of writing, which I would not count as having a civilisation.