Prehistory spans the immense stretch of human existence before writing was invented—a time which unveils the lives of our earliest ancestors and the roots of humanity itself.
Think of your own story: you come from your parents, they from your grandparents, and so on—a chain of beginnings stretching back through time. Prehistory is where this chain fades into mystery, yet it is a story we all share.
Exploration of the past blends memory, archaeology, and interpretation. History is not just about dates or artifacts; it is a tool to understand ourselves today through the discovery and analysis of records and evidence of the past.
The farther back we travel, the more questions arise—about humanity’s origins, the emergence of animals and plants, vanished species, and even the origin of the Earth, the universe, and matter itself. When history’s trail runs cold, philosophy, metaphysics, and wonder step in.
History is both what happened and how we assemble the story of what happened—a narrative of people, places, and events. Prehistory invites you into the world’s oldest chapters, sparking curiosity about the human adventure and our place in it.
Of course—it matters what actually happened—and to the best of my ability, I aim to provide an overview of the history of the world and the United States from the perspective of an American with European lineage—committed to and fascinated by the contribution and heritage of all people—but with particular affinity to the western heritage and Christianity.
Prehistory is measured from the earliest human ancestors to the time of the development of writing.
(c. 3.4 million years ago (?) – c. 3,300 BC) — dominates most of prehistory, ending with metal use
(c. 3,300 BC – c. 1,200 BC) — transitional phase, often still prehistoric in areas without writing / use of bronze tools and metallurgy to the end of prehistory as writing emerges (e.g., cuneiform in Sumer around 3,400–3,100 BC)
(c. 1,200 BC – varies) — marks the tail end of prehistory in many regions / widespread use of iron tools and weapons / in regions without writing until later (e.g., parts of Sub-Saharan Africa or Northern Europe), prehistory extends into this period
(varies by region) Prehistory ends when a society develops or adopts writing: ▪ Mesopotamia: Around 3,400–3,100 BC (cuneiform) ▪ Egypt: Around 3,100 BC (hieroglyphs) ▪ China: Around 1,200 BC (oracle bone script) ▪ Mesoamerica: Around 600 BC (early Zapotec or Olmec scripts) ▪ In some areas, like parts of Australia or the Americas, prehistory technically continues until contact with literate societies (e.g., European colonization in the 15th–19th centuries CE).