How Many Cycles?

While most cultures can agree that The Curved Time preceeded all of known history, the fact that there was a long span of time between that legendary epoch and the beginning of written history has given more than a few scholars and theologians pause. It is clear that whatever - or whoever - put sentience beneath the Manifold Sky spared no efforts in covering up their grand designs, so it follows that this would extend to any evidence of previous cultures predating those of them modern Manifold.
Radical Epicyclists speculate that one or more 'cycles' came before the current one, pointing to the clear evolution of fossil species and geological features over time periods far greater than even the first evidence of human habitation around the Blue Silk River or Munyoi inhabitation near Ereteusutaio. Anomalous objects like The Cobalt Legacy and Uxmat's Armillary point to one or more technologically-advanced species before The Curved Time. The Stone Blade Colossi, a recent archaeological find in caverns beneath the Booming Hills Range, even suggest world-shattering wars that might have played a part in the succession of ancient species and cultures.