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(Wikipedia) - Prehistory   (Redirected from Prehistoric) For a timeline of events in the early history of the universe and prehistoric Earth, see Timeline of prehistory.Stonehenge, in southern England, erected by Neolithic people at least 4,000 years ago. Human history and prehistory Prehistory (three-age system) Recorded history See also
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Prehistory (meaning "before history", or "before knowledge acquired by investigation", from the Latin word for "before," præ, and historia) is the span of time before recorded history or the invention of writing systems. Prehistory refers to the period of human existence before the availability of those written records with which recorded history begins. More broadly, it can refer to all the time preceding human existence and the invention of writing.

The notion of "prehistory" began to surface during the Enlightenment in the work of antiquarians who used the word ''primitive'' to describe societies that existed before written records. The first use of the word prehistory in English, however, occurred in the Foreign Quarterly Review in 1836.

The term "prehistory" can refer to the vast span of time since the beginning of the Universe, but more often it refers to the period since life appeared on Earth, or even more specifically to the time since human-like beings appeared. In dividing up human prehistory, prehistorians typically use the three-age system, whereas scholars of pre-human time periods typically use the well-defined geologic record and its internationally defined stratum base within the geologic time scale. The three-age system is the periodization of human prehistory into three consecutive time periods, named for their respective predominant tool-making technologies: the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. This system emerged during the late nineteenth century in the work of British, German and Scandinavian archeologists, antiquarians and anthropologists. Another division of history and prehistory can be made between those written events that can be precisely dated by use of a continuous calendar dating from current and those that can''t. The loss of continuity of calendar date most often occurs when a civilization falls and the language and calendar fall into disuse. The current civilization therefore loses the ability to precisely date events written through primary sources to events dated to current calendar dating.






The primary researchers into human prehistory are prehistoric archaeologists and physical anthropologists who use excavation, geologic and geographic surveys, and other scientific analysis to reveal and interpret the nature and behavior of pre-literate and non-literate peoples. Human population geneticists and historical linguists are also providing valuable insight for these questions. Cultural anthropologists help provide context for societal interactions, by which objects of human origin pass among people, allowing an analysis of any article that arises in a human prehistoric context. Therefore, data about prehistory is provided by a wide variety of natural and social sciences, such as paleontology, biology, archaeology, palynology, geology, archaeoastronomy, comparative linguistics, anthropology, molecular genetics and many others.



Stone Age PaleolithicMap of early human migrations, according to mitochondrial population genetics. Numbers are millennia before the present (accuracy disputed).


The early part of the Paleolithic is called the Lower Paleolithic, which predates Homo sapiens, beginning with Homo habilis (and related species) and with the earliest stone tools, dated to around 2.5 million years ago. Early Homo sapiens originated some 200,000 years ago, ushering in the Middle Paleolithic. Anatomic changes indicating modern language capacity also arise during the Middle Paleolithic. The systematic burial of the dead, the music, early art, and the use of increasingly sophisticated multi-part tools are highlights of the Middle Paleolithic.


Mesolithic Main article: MesolithicDugout canoe






Neolithic Main article: NeolithicEntrance to the Ġgantija phase temple complex of Hagar Qim, Malta, 3900 BC. The monumental building at Luni sul Mignone in Blera, Italy, 3500 BC.


Agriculture Main article: History of agriculture

Forest gardening, originating in prehistory, is thought to be the world''s oldest known form of agriculture (or agroecosystem). Vere Gordon Childe then describes an "Agricultural Revolution" occurring about the 10th millennium BCE with the adoption of agriculture and domestication of plants and animals. The Sumerians first began farming c. 9500 BCE. By 7000 BCE, agriculture had been developed in India and Peru separately; by 6000 BCE, in Egypt; by 5000 BCE, in China. About 2700 BCE, agriculture had come to Mesoamerica.


The technological and social state of the world, circa 1000 BCE.   hunter-gatherers   nomadic pastoralists   simple farming societies   complex farming societies/chiefdoms   state societies   uninhabited



Agriculture made possible complex societies — civilizations in many climates. States and markets emerged. Technologies enhanced people''s ability to harness nature and to develop transport and communication."The city represented a new degree of human concentration, a new magnitude in settlement". Cities relied on agricultural surplus."since the inhabitants of a city do not produce their own food...cities cannot support themselves...thus exist only where agriculture is successful enough to produce agricultural surplus."

Chalcolithic Main article: Chalcolithic


Bronze Age Main article: Bronze AgeOx-drawn plow, Egypt, ca. 1200 BCE.



Iron Age Main articles: Iron Age and Classical antiquity


Timeline Further information: Timeline of human evolution and Timeline of the Stone Age


Lower PaleolithicMiddle PaleolithicUpper PaleolithicMesolithic NeolithicChalcolithic By regionOld WorldNew World

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