For a timeline of events in the early history of the universe and prehistoric Earth, see Early prehistory. This page lists events in the early prehistory of the Universe and the Earth, up to approximately 10000 BC

Stonehenge, England, erected by Neolithic peoples ca. Stonehenge is a Prehistoric Monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos 4500-4000 years ago. Archaeology is often an important field when it comes to understanding prehistory. Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos

Prehistory (Latin, præ = before Greek, ιστορία = history) is a term often used to describe the period before written history. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly History is the study of the past particularly the written record Those who study history as a Profession are called Historians Etymology Recorded history can be defined as History that has been written down or recorded by the use of Language, whereas History is a more general term referring Paul Tournal originally coined the term Pré-historique in describing the finds he had made in the caves of southern France. Southern France (or the South of France) colloquially known as Le Midi, is a loosely defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that It came into use in French in the 1830s to describe the time before writing, and was introduced into English by Daniel Wilson in 1851. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Sir Daniel Wilson ( 5 January, 1816 &ndash 6 August, 1892) was a British-born Canadian Archaeologist, Ethnologist

Prehistory can be said to date back to the beginning of the universe itself, although the term is most often used to describe periods when there was life on Earth; dinosaurs can be described as prehistoric animals and cavemen are described as prehistoric people. The Universe is defined as everything that Physically Exists: the entirety of Space and Time, all forms of Matter, Energy Life is a state that distinguishes Organisms from non-living objects such as non-life and dead organisms being manifested by growth through Metabolism EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 A caveman is a popular Stock character based upon Stereotyped concepts of the way in which early prehistoric Humans or Homininans may have looked and Usually the context implies what geologic or prehistoric time period is discussed, f. The geologic time scale is a chronologic schema (or idealized Model) relating Stratigraphy to time that is used by Geologists and other The three-age system refers to the Periodization of Human Prehistory into three consecutive Time periods named for their respective e. "prehistoric miocene apes", about 23 - 5. The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene period and extends from about 23 5 Million years ago, or "Middle Palaeolithic Homo sapiens", 200000 - 30000 years ago. The Middle Paleolithic (or Middle Palaeolithic) is the second subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age as it is understood in Europe,

Because, by definition, there are no written records from prehistoric times, (or at least there are none known to still exist down to this day) the information we know about the time period is informed by the fields of paleontology, biology, palynology, geology, archaeoastronomy, anthropology, archaeology and other natural and social sciences. Palaeontology redirects here For the Scientific journal, see Palaeontology (journal. Foundations of modern biology There are five unifying principles Palynology is the science that studies contemporary and fossil Palynomorphs including Pollen, Spores, Dinoflagellate Cysts Acritarchs Geology (from Greek γη gê, "earth" and λόγος Logos, "speech" lit Archaeoastronomy (also spelled archeoastronomy) is the study of how peoples in the past "have understood the phenomena in the sky how they used phenomena Anthropology (/ˌænθɹəˈpɒlədʒi/ from Greek grc ἄνθρωπος anthrōpos, "human" -λογία -logia) is the study of Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos In societies where the introduction of writing is relatively recent, oral histories, knowledge of the past handed down from generation to generation, contain records of "prehistoric" times. Oral history preservation is the field that deals with the care and upkeep of Oral history materials whatever format they may be in

The term became less strictly defined in the 20th century as the boundary between history (interpretation of written and oral records) and other disciplines became less rigid. Indeed today most historians rely on evidence from many areas and do not necessarily restrict themselves to the historical period and written, oral or other symbolically encoded sources of communication; in addition, the term "history" is increasingly used in place of "prehistory" (e. g. History of Earth, history of the universe). The history of Earth covers approximately 46 billion years (4567000000 years from Earth ’s formation out of the Solar nebula to the present This timeline of the Big Bang describes the events according to the Scientific theory of the Big Bang, using the cosmological time parameter of Comoving coordinates Nevertheless, the distinction remains important to many scholars, particularly in the social sciences. The primary researchers into Human prehistory are prehistoric archaeologists and physical anthropologists who use excavation, geographic survey, and scientific analysis to reveal and interpret the nature and behavior of pre-literate and non-literate peoples. Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos

Human prehistory differs from history not only in terms of chronology but in the way it deals with the activities of archaeological cultures rather than named nations or individuals. Definition A chronology may be either relative &mdashthat is locating related events relative to each other&mdashor ''absolute'' &mdashlocating In addition to its usual meaning in Social science, in Archaeology, the term culture is also used in reference to several related concepts unique to A nation is a Human Cultural and Social Community. In as much as most members never meet each other yet feel a common bond it may be considered As commonly used, individual refers to a Person or to any specific object in a collection Restricted to material remains rather than written records (and indeed only those remains that have survived), prehistory is anonymous. Because of this, the reference terms used by prehistorians such as Neanderthal or Iron Age are modern, arbitrary labels, the precise definition of which is often subject to discussion and argument. The Neanderthal (neɪˈændərtɑːl also with /niː-/ and /-θɔːl/ or Neandertal, is an extinct member of the Homo genus that is known from This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man.

The date marking the end of prehistory, that is the date when written historical records become a useful academic resource, varies from region to region. "Ancient Language" redirects here For other uses see Ancient language (disambiguation. In Egypt it is generally accepted that prehistory ended around 3200 BCE whereas in New Guinea the end of the prehistoric era is set much more recently, 1900. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the world's second largest island, having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known

Stone Age

Paleolithic

Main articles: Paleolithic, Recent African Origin, Early Homo sapiens, and Early human migrations

Map of early human migrations, according to mitochondrial population genetics. The term Paleolithic (or Palaeolithic) (from Greek παλαιός palaios, " Old " and λίθος Lithos, "stone" In Paleoanthropology, the recent African origin of modern humans is one of two hypotheses of the origin of anatomically modern humans Homo sapiens sapiens The term Archaic Homo sapiens refers generally to the earliest members of the species Homo sapiens. Evolution of the genus ''Homo'' took place in Africa First Homo erectus migrated out of Africa across Eurasia beginning about 2 million years ago Human migration denotes any movement by Humans from one locality to another sometimes over long distances or Mitochondrial DNA ( mtDNA) is the DNA located in Organelles called mitochondria. Population genetics is the study of the Allele frequency distribution and change under the influence of the four evolutionary forces Natural selection, Genetic Numbers are millennia before the present (accuracy disputed). A millennium (pl millennia) is a period of Time equal to one thousand Years (from Latin la mille, thousand and la annum

"Paleolithic" means "Old Stone Age. " This was the earliest period of the Stone Age. The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric time period during which Humans widely used stone for toolmaking The Lower Paleolithic predates Homo sapiens, beginning with Homo habilis and the earliest use of stone tools some 2. The Lower Paleolithic (or Lower Palaeolithic) is the earliest subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age. Homo habilis (ˈhoʊmoʊ ˈhæbəlɪs ("handy man" "skillful person" is a Species of the genus Homo, which lived 5 million years ago. Homo sapiens originated some 200,000 years ago, ushering in the Middle Paleolithic. The term Archaic Homo sapiens refers generally to the earliest members of the species Homo sapiens. The Middle Paleolithic (or Middle Palaeolithic) is the second subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age as it is understood in Europe,

Sometime during the Middle Paleolithic, humans also developed language, music, early art, as well as systematic burial of the dead. The origin of language ( glottogony) is a topic that has attracted considerable speculation throughout human history In the History of music, prehistoric music (previously called primitive music) is all Music produced in preliterate cultures ( Prehistory --> In the history of art prehistoric art is all art produced in preliterate cultures (prehistory beginning somewhere in very late geological history See also Prehistoric religion The origin and early Development of religion falls into the Paleolithic.

Humans spread from East Africa to the Near East some 80 millennia ago, and further to southern Asia and Australasia some 60 millennia ago, northwestwards into Europe and eastwards into Central Asia some 40 millennia ago, and further east to the Americas from ca. Australasia is a Region of Oceania: New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and neighbouring Islands in the Pacific Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America 15 millennia ago. The Upper Paleolithic is taken to begin some 40 millennia ago, with the appearance of "high" culture. The Upper Paleolithic (or Upper Palaeolithic) is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age as it is understood in Europe Africa Expansion to North America and Oceania took place at the climax of the most recent Ice Age, when today's temperate regions were extremely inhospitable. An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the Temperature of the Earth 's surface and atmosphere resulting in an expansion of continental Ice sheets By the end of the Ice Age some 12,000 BP, humans had colonised nearly all the ice-free parts of the globe. Before Present (BP years are a time scale used in Archaeology, Geology, and other scientific disciplines to specify when events in the past occurred

Throughout the Paleolithic, humans generally lived as nomadic hunter-gatherers. Nomadic people, (from the νομάδες nomádes, "those who let pasture herds" also known as nomads, are communities of people that A hunter-gatherer society is one whose primary subsistence method involves the direct procurement of edible plants and animals from the wild Foraging and Hunting Hunter-gatherer societies have tended to be very small and egalitarian, though hunter-gatherer societies with abundant resources or advanced food-storage techniques have sometimes developed a sedentary lifestyle, complex social structures such as chiefdoms, and social stratification; and long-distance contacts may be possible, as in the case of Indigenous Australian "highways. A hunter-gatherer society is one whose primary subsistence method involves the direct procurement of edible plants and animals from the wild Foraging and Hunting In Sociology, social stratification is the hierarchical arrangement of Social classes Castes and strata within a Society. Indigenous Australians are descendants of the first known human inhabitants of the Australian continent and its nearby islands. "

Mesolithic

Main article: Mesolithic

Dugout canoe. The Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age was a period in the development of human technology in between the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age and the Neolithic or New Stone Age A dugout is a Boat which is basically a hollowed tree trunk Other names for this type of boat are logboat and monoxylon.

The "Mesolithic," or "Middle Stone Age" (from the Greek "mesos," "middle," and "lithos," "stone") was a period in the development of human technology between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods of the Stone Age. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus Technology is a broad concept that deals with a Species ' usage and knowledge of Tools and Crafts and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt The term Paleolithic (or Palaeolithic) (from Greek παλαιός palaios, " Old " and λίθος Lithos, "stone" The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric time period during which Humans widely used stone for toolmaking

The Mesolithic period began at the end of the Pleistocene epoch, some 10,000 BP, and ended with the introduction of agriculture, the date of which varied by geographic region. The Pleistocene ('plaɪstəsin is the epoch from 18 million to 10000 years BP covering the world's recent period Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture In some areas, such as the Near East, agriculture was already underway by the end of the Pleistocene, and there the Mesolithic is short and poorly defined. B Syria - Belka Woman from Damascus Arab from Baghdadjpg|thumb|Inhabitants of the Near East late nineteenth century The Pleistocene ('plaɪstəsin is the epoch from 18 million to 10000 years BP covering the world's recent period In areas with limited glacial impact, the term "Epipaleolithic" is sometimes preferred. "Glacial" and "Glaciation" redirect here For the geological periods see Glacial period. The Epipaleolithic is a term used for the "final Upper Palaeolithic industries occurring at the end of the final glaciation which appear to merge technologically into the

Regions that experienced greater environmental effects as the last ice age ended have a much more evident Mesolithic era, lasting millennia. "Last glacial" redirects here For the period of maximum glacier extent during this time see Last Glacial Maximum The last glacial period In Northern Europe, societies were able to live well on rich food supplies from the marshlands fostered by the warmer climate. Such conditions produced distinctive human behaviours which are preserved in the material record, such as the Maglemosian and Azilian cultures. Maglemosian (ca 7500 BC - ca 6000 BC) is the name given to a culture of the early Epipaleolithic period in Northern Europe. The Azilian is a name given by Archaeologists to an industry of the Epipaleolithic in northern Spain and southern France. These conditions also delayed the coming of the Neolithic until as late as 4000 BCE (6,000 BP) in northern Europe. Before Present (BP years are a time scale used in Archaeology, Geology, and other scientific disciplines to specify when events in the past occurred

Remains from this period are few and far between, often limited to middens. A midden, also known as a kitchen midden, or a shell heap, is a dump for domestic waste. In forested areas, the first signs of deforestation have been found, although this would only begin in earnest during the Neolithic, when more space was needed for agriculture. A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria Deforestation is the conversion of Forested areas to non-forest land for use such as Arable land, Pasture, urban use logged area or wasteland The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture

The Mesolithic is characterized in most areas by small composite flint tools — microliths and microburins. Flint (or flintstone) is a hard sedimentary Cryptocrystalline form of the Mineral Quartz, categorized as a variety of Chert A microlith is a small stone tool typically knapped of Flint or Chert, usually about three centimetres long or less They are typically one Centimetre A microburin is the residual product of the creation of a Microlith during Flint tool manufacture in many different cultures for instance the European Fishing tackle, stone adzes and wooden objects, e. Fishing tackle, also called fishing gear, is a general term that refers to the equipment used by fishermen while fishing An adze or adz (ædz is a tool used for smoothing rough-cut Wood in hand Woodworking. g. canoes and bows, have been found at some sites. A canoe is a small narrow Boat, typically human-powered though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors A bow is a Weapon that projects arrows powered by the elasticity of the bow These technologies first occur in Africa, associated with the Azilian cultures, before spreading to Europe through the Ibero-Maurusian culture of Spain and Portugal, and the Kebaran culture of Palestine. The Azilian is a name given by Archaeologists to an industry of the Epipaleolithic in northern Spain and southern France. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Kebarans was an archaeological culture that lived in the eastern Mediterranean area (c Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. Independent discovery is not always ruled out.

Neolithic

Main article: Neolithic Period

"Neolithic" means "New Stone Age. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos " This was a period of primitive technological and social development, toward the end of the "Stone Age. Technology is a broad concept that deals with a Species ' usage and knowledge of Tools and Crafts and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt Definition In the absence of agreement about its meaning the term "social" is used in many different senses referring among other things to attitudes The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric time period during which Humans widely used stone for toolmaking " Beginning in the 10th millennium BCE (12,000 BP), the Neolithic period saw the development of early villages, agriculture, animal domestication and tools. A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet, but smaller than a Town or City. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Domestication (from Latin domesticus) refers to the process whereby a Population of Animals A broader definition of a tool is an entity used to interface between two or more domains that facilitates more effective action of one domain upon the other

Main article: History of Agriculture

A major change, described by prehistorian Vere Gordon Childe as the "Agricultural Revolution," occurred about the 10th millennium BCE with the adoption of agriculture. Agriculture was developed at least 10000 years ago and it has undergone significant developments since the time of the earliest cultivation Vere Gordon Childe (14 April 1892 Sydney, New South Wales –19 October 1957 Mt The Neolithic Revolution was the first Agricultural revolution &mdashthe transition from hunting and gathering communities and bands to Agriculture and Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture The Sumerians first began farming ca. Sumer ( Sumerian: sux-Latn [[Ki (earth ki]]-[[EN (cuneiform en]]-'''ĝir15''', Akkadian: Šumeru; possibly Biblical Shinar 9500 BCE. By 7000 BCE, agriculture had spread to India; by 6000 BCE, to Egypt; by 5000 BCE, to China. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country About 2700 BCE, agriculture had come to Mesoamerica. Mesoamerica or Meso-America (Mesoamérica is a Region extending approximately from central Mexico to Honduras and Nicaragua, defined

Although attention has tended to concentrate on the Middle East's Fertile Crescent, archaeology in the Americas, East Asia and Southeast Asia indicates that agricultural systems, using different crops and animals, may in some cases have developed there nearly as early. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The Fertile Crescent is a Crescent -shaped region in the Middle East, originally incorporating the Levant and Ancient Mesopotamia, and often The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America the development of organised irrigation, and the use of a specialised workforce, by the Sumerians, began about 5500 BCE. Irrigation is an artificial application of water to the soil usually for assisting in growing crops Workforce (Voyager episode The workforce is the labour pool in Employment. Sumer ( Sumerian: sux-Latn [[Ki (earth ki]]-[[EN (cuneiform en]]-'''ĝir15''', Akkadian: Šumeru; possibly Biblical Shinar Stone was supplanted by bronze and iron in implements of agriculture and warfare. Agricultural settlements had until then been almost completely dependent on stone tools. In Geology, rock is a naturally occurring aggregate of Minerals and/or Mineraloids The Earth's outer solid layer the ‘ Lithosphere In Eurasia, copper and bronze tools, decorations and weapons began to be commonplace about 3000 BCE. For the superstate in George Orwell 's novel see Nations of Nineteen Eighty-Four. Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Bronze is any of a broad range of Copper alloys, usually with Tin as the main additive but sometimes with other elements such as Phosphorus After bronze, the Eastern Mediterranean region, Middle East and China saw the introduction of iron tools and weapons. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26

The technological and social state of the world, circa 1000 BCE.

The Americas may not have had metal tools until the Chavín horizon (900 BCE). The Chavín were an early Civilization that existed in present-day Peru. The Moche did have metal armor, knives and tableware. The Moche civilization (alternately the Mochica culture Early Chimu Pre-Chimu Proto-Chimu etc Even the metal-poor Inca had metal-tipped plows, at least after the conquest of Chimor. Chimor (also Kingdom of Chimor was the political grouping of the Chimú culture that ruled the northern coast of Peru beginning around 850 AD and ending around 1470 AD However, little archaeological research has so far been done in Peru, and nearly all the khipus (recording devices, in the form of knots, used by the Incas) were burned in the Spanish conquest of Peru. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. Quipu or khipu (sometimes called talking knots) were recording devices used in the Inca Empire and its predecessor societies in the Andean The Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire was a process through which a group of forty (40 Spaniards led by Francisco Pizarro succeeded in toppling the Inca As late as 2004, entire cities were still being unearthed. A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status

The cradles of early civilizations were river valleys, such as the Euphrates and Tigris valleys in Mesopotamia, the Nile valley in Egypt, the Indus valley in the Indian subcontinent, and the Yangtze and Yellow River valleys in China. A Civilization is a society in which large numbers of people share a variety of common elements "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there In Geology, a valley (also called a vale, dale, glen or strath and near or in Appalachia, a draw) is The Euphrates ( ( Arabic: ar نهر الفرات; Turkish: tr Fırat Syriac: syr ܦܪܬ; Hebrew: he פרת The Tigris is the eastern member of the two great Rivers that define Mesopotamia, along with the Euphrates, which flows from the mountains of southeastern Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding The Nile (النيل, Ancient Egyptian iteru or Ḥ'pī, Coptic piaro or phiaro) is a major north-flowing River This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia For geopolitical treatments see South Asia. The Yellow River or Huang He / Hwang Ho ( Hatan Gol Queen river) is the second-longest river in China (after the Yangtze River) and the China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Some nomadic peoples, such as the Indigenous Australians and the Bushmen of southern Africa, did not practice agriculture until relatively recent times. The Bushmen, San, Sho, Basarwa, ǃKung or Khwe are indigenous people of southern Africa that spans most areas of South Africa

Before 1800, most populations did not belong to states. A state is a political association with effective Sovereignty over a geographic Area and representing a Population. Scientists disagree as to whether the term "tribe" should be applied to the kinds of societies that these people lived in. A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally consists of a Social group existing before the development of or outside of States Many anthropologists use Some tribal societies transformed into states when they were threatened, or otherwise impinged on, by existing states.

Agriculture made possible complex societies — civilizations. A Civilization is a society in which large numbers of people share a variety of common elements States and markets emerged. Technologies enhanced people's ability to control nature and to develop transport and communication. Nature, in the broadest sense is equivalent to the natural world, physical universe, material world or material universe. Transport or transportation is the movement of people and goods from one place to another Communication is the process of conveying information from a sender to a receiver with the use of a medium in which the communicated information is understood the same way

Bronze Age

Main article: Bronze Age

Ox-drawn plow, Egypt, ca. The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for Oxen (singular ox) are Cattle trained as draft animals. Often they are adult castrated males The plough ( American spelling plow; both plaʊ is a Tool used in Farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now 1200 BCE.

The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use) included techniques for smelting copper and tin from naturally-occurring outcroppings of copper ores, and then smelting those ores to cast bronze. Metalworking is craft and practice of working with Metals to create individual parts assemblies or large scale structures Chemical reduction, or smelting, is a form of Extractive metallurgy. Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Tin is a Chemical element with the symbol Sn (stannum and Atomic number 50 Bronze is any of a broad range of Copper alloys, usually with Tin as the main additive but sometimes with other elements such as Phosphorus These naturally-occurring ores typically included arsenic as a common impurity. Copper/tin ores are rare, as reflected in the fact that there were no tin bronzes in Western Asia before 3,000 BC. The Bronze Age forms part of the three-age system for prehistoric societies. The three-age system refers to the Periodization of Human Prehistory into three consecutive Time periods named for their respective In this system, it follows the Neolithic in some areas of the world. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos

The Bronze Age is the earliest period of which we have direct written accounts, since the invention of writing coincides with its early beginnings.

Iron Age

Main articles: Iron Age and Classical Antiquity

In archaeology, the Iron Age was the stage in the development ferrous metallurgy. This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. Classical antiquity (also the classical era or classical period) is a broad term for a long period of cultural History centered on the Mediterranean Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos The history of ferrous metallurgy began far back in Prehistory, most likely with the use of Iron from Meteorites The Smelting of iron in The adoption of iron coincided with other changes in some past societies often including differing agricultural practices, religious beliefs and artistic styles, which makes the archaeological Iron Age coincide with the "Axial Age" in the history of philosophy. Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 German Philosopher Karl Jaspers coined the term the axial age ( Achsenzeit in the German language original to describe the period

Timeline of Human Prehistory

Further information: Timeline of human evolution

All dates are approximate and conjectural, obtained through Anthropology, Archaeology, Genetics, Geology, or Linguistics. The timeline of human evolution outlines the major events in the development of Human Species, and the Evolution of humans' Ancestors It includes Anthropology (/ˌænθɹəˈpɒlədʒi/ from Greek grc ἄνθρωπος anthrōpos, "human" -λογία -logia) is the study of Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos Genetics (from Ancient Greek grc-Latn genetikos, “genitive” and that from grc-Latn genesis, “origin” a discipline of Biology, is Geology (from Greek γη gê, "earth" and λόγος Logos, "speech" lit Linguistics is the scientific study of Language, encompassing a number of sub-fields They are all subject to revision due to new discoveries or improved calculations. BP stands for "Before Present. "

Paleolithic

• c. The term Paleolithic (or Palaeolithic) (from Greek παλαιός palaios, " Old " and λίθος Lithos, "stone" 120,000 BP - Modern Homo sapiens appears in Africa. Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus
• c. 300,000 BP to 30,000 BP. The Pleistocene ('plaɪstəsin is the epoch from 18 million to 10000 years BP covering the world's recent period The term Paleolithic (or Palaeolithic) (from Greek παλαιός palaios, " Old " and λίθος Lithos, "stone" Mousterian (Neanderthal) culture in Europe. Mousterian is a name given by archaeologists to a style of predominantly Flint tools (or industry) associated primarily with Homo neanderthalensis The Neanderthal (neɪˈændərtɑːl also with /niː-/ and /-θɔːl/ or Neandertal, is an extinct member of the Homo genus that is known from ^[1]
• c. 75,000 BP - Toba Volcano supereruption. According to the Toba catastrophe theory, 70000 to 75000 years ago a supervolcanic event at Lake Toba, on Sumatra, reduced the world's human population ^[2]
• c. 73,000 BP - Homo sapiens move from Africa to Asia. Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus

Mesolithic

• c. The Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age was a period in the development of human technology in between the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age and the Neolithic or New Stone Age 32,000 BP - Aurignacian culture begins in Europe. Aurignacian is the name of a culture of the Upper Palaeolithic located in Europe and southwest Asia.
• c. 30,000 BP / 28,000 BCE - A herd of Reindeer is slaughtered and butchered by humans in the Vezere Valley in what today is France. The term Paleolithic (or Palaeolithic) (from Greek παλαιός palaios, " Old " and λίθος Lithos, "stone" This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. ^[3]
• c. 28,500 BCE - New Guinea is populated by colonists from Asia or Australia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. ^[4]
• c. 28,000 BP - 20,000 BP - Graveltian period in Europe. Harpoons, needles and saws invented.
• c. 26,000 BP / c. 24,000 BCE - Women around the world use fibers to make baby-carriers, clothes, bags, baskets and nets.
• c. 25,000 BP / 23,000 BCE - A hamlet consisting of huts built of rocks and of mammoth bones is founded in what is now Dolni Vestonice in Moravia in the Czech Republic. A mammoth is any Species of the Extinct Genus Mammuthus. These Proboscideans are members of the elephant family and For information on the Dolní Věstonice archaeological site please see Dolní Věstonice (archaeology. Moravia (Morava; Morawy Moravie Moravia is a historical region in central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, one of the former Czech lands. The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, This is the oldest human permanent settlement that has yet been found by archaeologists. ^[5]
• c. 20,000 BP or 18,000 BCE - Chatelperronian Culture in France. Châtelperronian was the earliest industry of the Upper Palaeolithic in central and south western France, extending also into Northern Spain. ^[6]
• c. 16,000 BP / 14,000 BCE - Wisent sculpted in clay deep inside the cave now known as Le Tuc d'Audoubert in the French Pyrinees near what is now the border of Spain. The wisent (ˈviːzənt or European bison ( Bison bonasus) is a Bison Species and the heaviest surviving land animal in Europe Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. ^[7]
• c. 14,800 BP / 12,800 BC - The Humid Period begins in North Africa. The region that would later become the Sahara is wet and fertile, and the Aquifers are full. The Sahara (الصحراء الكبرى aṣ-ṣaḥrā´ al-kubra, "The Great Desert" is the world's largest hot Desert and the world's second largest An aquifer is an underground layer of Water -bearing Permeable rock or unconsolidated materials ( Gravel, Sand, Silt, or Clay ^[8]

Neolithic

• c. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos 8000 BCE / 7,000 BCE - In northern Mesopotamia, now northern Iraq, cultivation of barley and wheat begins. In the 8th millennium BC, Agriculture becomes widely practiced in the Fertile Crescent and Anatolia. Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) is an annual Cereal Grain, which serves as a major animal Feed crop, with smaller amounts used for Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. At first they are used for beer, gruel, and soup, eventually for bread. Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed Alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea Gruel is a type of preparation consisting of some type of cereal wheat or rye flour and also rice boiled in water or milk Soup is a Food that is made by combining ingredients such as Meat and Vegetables in stock or hot/boiling Water, until the flavor Bread is a Staple food prepared by Baking a Dough of Flour and Water. ^[9]. Around this time, a round stone tower, now preserved to about 8. 5 meters high and 8. 5 meters in diameter is built in Jericho. Jericho ( Arabic, ʼArīḥā; Hebrew, Standard Yəriḥo Tiberian Yərîḫô ^[10]

Chalcolithic

• c. The Chalcolithic (Greek khalkos + lithos ' Copper stone' period or Copper Age period known as the '''Eneolithic''' ('''Æneolithic''' is a 3700 BCE - Cuneiform writing appears and records begin to be kept.
• c. 3000 BC - Stonehenge begins to be built. The 30th century BC is a Century which lasted from the year 3000 BC to 2901 BC Stonehenge is a Prehistoric Monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury In its first version, it consisted of a circular ditch and bank, with 56 wooden posts. Year 56 was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. ^[11]

By region

Old World

• Prehistoric Africa
  • Predynastic Egypt
  • Prehistoric Central North Africa
• Prehistoric Asia
  • East Asia:
    • Prehistoric China
    • Prehistoric Thailand
    • Prehistoric Korea
    • Japanese Paleolithic
    • East Asian Bronze Age
    • Chinese Bronze Age
  • South Asia
    • South Asian Stone Age
    • Prehistory of Sri Lanka
  • Prehistory of Central Asia
  • Prehistoric Siberia
  • Soutwest Asia (Near East)
    • Aurignacian
    • Natufian culture
    • Ubaid period
    • Uruk period
    • Ancient Near East
    • Prehistoric Iran
  • Prehistoric Caucasus
    • Prehistoric Armenia
• Prehistoric Europe
  • Paleolithic Europe
  • Neolithic Europe
  • Bronze Age Europe
  • Iron Age Europe
  • Atlantic fringe
    • Prehistoric Britain
    • Prehistoric Ireland
    • Prehistoric Iberia
  • Prehistoric Balkans

New World

• Pre-Columbian Americas
  • Prehistoric Southwestern Cultural Divisions
  • 2nd millennium BC in North American history
  • 1st millennium BC in North American history
  • 1st millennium in North American history
• Prehistoric Australia

See also

• Archaeoastronomy
• Archaeology
• Anthropology
• Holocene
• Paleoanthropology
• Archaic Homo sapiens
• Prehistoric art
• Prehistoric life
• Prehistoric music
• Prehistoric warfare
• Prehistoric Medicine
• Periodization
• Synoptic table of the principal old world prehistoric cultures
• Three-age system
• Younger Dryas

Notes

External links

• Submerged Landscapes Archaeological Network
• The Neanderthal site at Veldwezelt-Hezerwater, Belgium.
• North Pacific Prehistory is an academic journal specialising in Northeast Asian and North American archaeology.
• Prehistory in Algeria and in Morocco [1]
• Early Humans a collection of resources for students from the Courtenay Middle School Library.