Prehistoric Ages refer to the vast period of time before the emergence of written records. This period is generally divided into two main ages: the Stone Age and the Mineral Age. However, some sources  divide it into three main ages: Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age.

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stone age

The Stone Age is divided into three periods: Paleolithic (Old Stone Age), Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) and Neolithic (New Stone Age).

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Paleolithic Period (Rough Stone Age)

The Paleolithic period spans the period from approximately 2.5 million years ago to 10,000 BCE, and is the period when early human ancestors used stone and bone tools. During this time, people lived in caves or simple huts and were mainly hunters and gatherers. People used basic stone and bone tools to hunt birds and wild animals, as well as fish and gather wild berries, fruits, and nuts. This period also saw the first examples of art, with early humans mixing minerals, ocher, burnt bone meal, and charcoal with water, blood, animal fats, and tree sap to engrave people, animals, and signs.

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Mesolithic Period (Chip Stone)

The Mesolithic period, from approximately 10,000 BCE to 8,000 BCE, is the period in which humans used small stone tools, now also polished and sometimes worked with points, and cut into horns, bones, or wood to serve as spears and arrows. is installed.

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Neolithic Period (Polished Stone)

The Neolithic period marks the transition from a hunting and gathering culture to agriculture and food production.

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Bronze Age and Iron Age (Mineral Age)

Following the Stone Age, humans entered the Bronze Age and then the Iron Age, during which time they began to develop their own writing and keep historical records. The end of prehistory therefore came at very different times in different places.

It is important to note that the concept of prehistory is applied in different ways in various parts of the world. For example, in regions where the working of hard metals came suddenly as a result of contact with Eurasian cultures, such as Oceania, Australasia, much of sub-Saharan Africa, and parts of the Americas, the three-age division is not generally used.

Prehistory, by definition, lacks written records, so our understanding of it comes from archaeological and anthropological evidence, including prehistoric materials and human remains. Over time, dating techniques improved, allowing for a more accurate understanding of prehistoric evidence. Newer techniques include forensic chemical analysis to reveal the use and origin of materials, and genetic analysis of bones to determine the kinship and physical characteristics of prehistoric people.

You can get more detailed information about that era by clicking on Prehistoric Ages in the table below.