Meaning and Definition of Prehistory | Concept and What is.


What is Prehistory?

Prehistory is the term used to refer to that period of history that begins with the beginning of human evolution up to the time of the appearance of writing. It is a concept that is also used to refer to the discipline that deals with the study of that period.

The scholars have divided the study of the life of human beings in two great periods, prehistory and history, which are divided at the time of writing, appear which occurred approximately in the year 4000 BC.

Due to the large number of years comprising prehistory and the different milestones occurred during it, researchers divide it into several periods, begun by the oldest of all, the stone age. This stage of prehistory is characterized by that it is there where the stone becomes the main tool of the man, becoming more worked material. At the same time, the stone age is divided in the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic. During the Palaeolithic man began to use stone and create very precarious tools, which, over time, would refine, thus, could meet their needs, which only turned in a lathe to get food and defend themselves from large animals. It is believed that during this time the man accidentally discovered the fire and were the first artistic manifestations with rock art.

During the Mesolithic, after the ice age, the planet is overrun by the jungle, allowing the man to settle on the banks of the rivers, where they hunted fish, birds and other kinds of animals, also began to use wood for the manufacture of multiple devices.

Subsequently, in the Neolithic period, man made great progress, above all around the production of food from the domestication of animals and plants. It also began the manufacture of devices that could save seeds and food for times of scarcity, i.e. began pottery. On the other hand, based on the use of plants such as cotton and flax fibers began the manufacture of fabrics.

After the stone age, starts the age of metals. Throughout this period the man evolved greatly, since it was able to include metals in the manufacture of tools and all kinds of artifacts. Just like the stone age, the era of metals is also divided into 3, division based on the most widely used metal. In this way, are known from the copper age, the bronze age and the iron age. As expected, thanks to the metal was made possible the manufacture of knives, swords, vessels and all kinds of tools that facilitated the life of human beings in many aspects.
Translated for educational purposes.
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