Prehistory

Prehistory, sometimes called pre-literary history, is the time between when early humans first used stone tools about 3.3 million years ago and when people began to write things down. The first known writing started around 5,200 years ago, but writing spread slowly. Because of this, prehistory ended at different times in different places. When a culture is written about by others but has not yet created its own writing, it is called the protohistory of that culture.

Prehistory is different from history because we cannot read written records from that time. Instead, we learn about prehistoric people by studying things they left behind, like tools, buildings, and bones. These objects help us understand how people lived long ago, even though we do not know their names. Terms like "Neanderthal" or "Iron Age" are labels we use today to describe groups of people from the past, but these labels can sometimes be debated by scientists.

Since there are no written records from prehistory, we rely on archaeology and anthropological studies to learn about this time. Early ideas about prehistoric people came from collecting folklore and comparing it to societies without writing that were seen in more recent times. By looking at these materials and remains, we can piece together the story of human life before written history.

History of the term

The idea of "prehistory" began during a time called the Enlightenment. People then used words like "primitive" for societies before written records. The word "prehistory" was first used in English in 1836 in a magazine called the Foreign Quarterly Review.

Later, in the 1800s, scientists and historians from Britain, France, Germany, and Scandinavia made ways to organize time before writing. They used a system called the three-age system. Some people thought that without writing, there could be no real history. But today, many think history can be studied using many kinds of evidence. Archaeologists find "prehistory" helpful for describing their work and the stories they learn from the past.^: 1

Means of research

We learn about prehistory mainly from archaeology. Scientists who study humans, called anthropologists, dig up old things and use science to learn about ancient people. Experts who study genes and languages also help us understand the past.

Special ways to find out how old things are, like radiocarbon dating, help scientists know when objects from long ago were made. Looking at old languages and bones gives more information about people who lived long before today.

Definition

The beginning of prehistory is when human-like beings first appeared on Earth. Prehistory ends when written records start, but this happened at different times in different places. In Egypt, prehistory ended around 3100 BCE. In New Guinea, it ended much later, in the 1870s.

Main articles: Three-age system and Geologic time scale

Historians often divide prehistory into three main periods based on the materials used to make tools: the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age. Early civilizations such as Sumer in Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley Civilisation, and ancient Egypt were among the first to develop writing. In many parts of the world, prehistory lasted until much later, especially where writing came from other cultures.

Stone Age

Main article: Stone Age

The Stone Age was a very long time in human history, lasting about 3.4 million years. It ended between 4000 BC and 2000 BC when people learned to work with metals. During this time, early humans used stone tools and lived by hunting and gathering food.

The Stone Age has three main parts. The Palaeolithic, or Old Stone Age, started with the first stone tools about 3.3 million years ago and lasted until around 11,650 years ago. In this time, early humans used fire, made tools, and began to create art. The Mesolithic, or Middle Stone Age, came next as glaciers moved away, and lasted until farming began. This period brought new tools and technologies like fishing tackle and bows. The Neolithic, or New Stone Age, began around 10,200 BC when farming started. People lived in villages, took care of animals, and made new things like pottery.

Chalcolithic

Main article: Chalcolithic

The Chalcolithic, also called the Copper Age, was a time when people started to use copper along with stone tools. This period was a step between the Stone Age and the Bronze Age. During this time, some tools and weapons were made from copper before people learned to mix copper with tin to make stronger bronze.

One of the oldest places where copper was worked with high heat is in Serbia, dating back about 7,500 years. This shows that using copper might have begun in different places on its own. The use of metal first appeared in the Fertile Crescent and later influenced areas like the Vinča culture in Europe and Timna Valley. This period brought important changes in how people made and used tools.

Bronze Age

Main article: Bronze Age

The Bronze Age was a time when early people started using writing. They learned to mix copper and tin to make bronze, a stronger metal than stone. Bronze was used to make tools and weapons.

Tin was hard to find, so people traveled far to trade for it. This helped create long trading routes. By the end of the Bronze Age, big powerful states formed in places like Egypt, China, Anatolia (home to the Hittites), and Mesopotamia. These places could write and keep records.

Iron Age

Further information: Protohistory and Ancient history

Main articles: Iron Age and Classical antiquity

The Iron Age was a time when many people started using iron tools and weapons. This time came after the Bronze Age and brought many changes. These changes included better farming, new ideas about religion, and new styles of art. Even though iron is common, it needed new skills to work with because it required higher heat than bronze.

In many places, the Iron Age ended when big empires, like the Roman Empire, took over and began writing about these areas. For example, after the Romans arrived in Europe, people called that time "Roman" instead of "Iron Age." Some places, like the protohistory of Ireland, were written about by people who already knew how to write, even before the people there learned to write themselves.

Timeline

Further information: Timeline of human evolution and Timeline of prehistory

All dates in this section are approximate and based on research in fields like anthropology, genetics, geology, and linguistics. They may change with new discoveries.

Paleolithic

The Paleolithic era, meaning "old stone age," is when early humans first used stone tools. Around 3.3 million years ago, the earliest stone tools were made. Over time, early humans like Homo developed skills such as hunting, controlling fire, and making clothing. They also created art, like cave paintings.

Mesolithic/Epipaleolithic

The Mesolithic era, meaning "middle stone age," was a time of change. People began to settle in one place more often and may have started to grow plants like rye.

Neolithic

The Neolithic era, meaning "new stone age," saw big changes in how people lived. Around 9,400–9,200 BCE, people in the Jordan Valley began to grow figs, which may be the first known farming. Later, people in places like Mesopotamia started growing wheat and barley. They also built early villages, like Göbekli Tepe in Turkey and Jericho.

Chalcolithic

The Chalcolithic era, meaning "copper age," was when people began using copper for tools. Around 3,700 BCE, early writing called proto-cuneiform started in Sumer. This was a way to keep records. Other important sites from this time include Skara Brae in Scotland and the start of Stonehenge construction.

By region

The study of prehistory looks different depending on where you are in the world. In the Old World, this means places like Africa, Asia, and Europe. Important areas to study here include Prehistoric Africa, Prehistoric Asia, and Prehistoric Europe. There are also many smaller areas to explore, such as Prehistoric China, Prehistoric Caucasus, and Prehistoric Balkans.

In the New World, which means the Americas, one key area is Pre-Columbian Americas. Oceania, which includes places like Australia and New Zealand, also has its own prehistoric times. These include Prehistoric Australia and Prehistoric New Zealand. Each of these places helps us learn about early human history.