The Préhistoire is generally defined like the period ranging between the appearance of the Humanité and the appearance of the first written documents, even if this definition is not without posing problems (see below).

The prehistory is also the scientific discipline which studies this period (see prehistory).

Problems involved in the definition of Prehistory

The traditional definition of Prehistory poses a certain number of problems, in particular with regard to the criteria retained for its beginning and its end, but also for the dating of its limits.

Beginning of Prehistory

Prehistory starts with the appearance of the Man, but this one is the fruit of a slow evolution on several hundreds of thousands of years, since a unspecified Hominidé. This beginning varies according to the researchers according to the criteria used to define the Man, which can be anthropological, cultural even philosophical…

The kind Homo appears with Homo rudolfensis (- 2,9 My) then Homo habilis (- 2,4 My), two species which coexisted in Africa of the East. These two species had adopted a locomotion Bipède and probably produced tools, two features which were regarded a long time as clean with mankind. More recent discoveries showed that the Australopithèque S which preceded them had also adopted a locomotion partially Bipède. In addition, oldest lithic industries is contemporary representatives of the Homo kind but also of Paranthropes, robust forms Australopithecus, and it is impossible to determine which is the author of these industries.

According to whether it is considered that the Man is represented by the only Homo kind or also by the Australopithecus kind, Prehistory thus begins respectively there are approximately 3 My or there are approximately 5 My.

End of Prehistory

The use of the appearance of the writing, towards 3000 before our era, as criterion marking the end of Prehistory is problematic in more than one way:
  • this one does not appear at the same date in all the geographical areas;
  • there exist companies not having adopted the writing, whose oral tradition is very strong, like certain civilizations of America précolombienne or sub-Saharan Africa, which in common has few things with the prehistoric companies.

The concept of Protohistoire was introduced for the populations not having themselves the writing, but which are mentioned by texts emanating of other contemporary people. This concept is not entirely satisfactory.

Towards an economic and social definition

The current trend is to base itself on either chronological criteria (too much fluctuating) but economic and social:
  • Prehistory would relate to the populations whose subsistence is ensured by the Prédation. These groups of Hunters-gatherers, fishermen, collectors exploit natural resources available without controlling them. Prehistory strictly speaking would thus include/understand the Paléolithique, the Épipaléolithique and the Mesolithic .
  • the Protohistoire would relate to the populations whose subsistence is ensured by the production. These groups of stockbreeders and farmers, often sedentary, exploit resources which they control and which they manage partly. Protohistoire would then include/understand the Neolithic , the Chalcolithique, the Bronze Age and the Âge of iron. It is characterized by an increasing structuring of the company (modification of habitat, agglomeration, Socialisation advanced, hierarchisation, administrative capacity, economy advanced, Monnaie, commercial exchanges, etc).

Great divisions of Prehistory

Historical aspects

The chronology of Prehistory started to be established at the 19th century, following work of the large systematicians of the previous century, Carl von Linné, Buffon, who had largely made move back the date of the origin of life on Ground.

In 1820, Christian Jürgensen Thomsen orders the collections of its museum according to principal materials used and creates a classification known as of the “three ages”:

If the two last are still usually employed, first from now on fell in disuse. One prefers to him according to the cases the terms Neolithic Paléolithique and , introduced by John Lubbock in 1865.

  • the Paléolithique, étymologiquement “age of the old stone”, is the oldest period, during which the stone is only cut (from where also the old name of “paleolithic age”).
  • the Neolithic , étymologiquement “new age of the stone”, is the more recent period, during which the stone is cut but also worked by polishing (from where also the old name of “neolithic age”).
The discoveries and the writings (1846 to 1864) of Jacques Boucher of Perthes contribute to make accept the idea of the very high antiquity of the Man.

Taking as a starting point the chronology used in Geology, Edouard Lartet proposes in 1861 a chronology based on the successive species of large dominant mammals. Only the Age of the Reindeer is still sometimes used to indicate Magdalénien.

In 1869, Gabriel de Mortillet proposes a new chronology of Prehistory, of 14 successive times named according to the sites where they were described and where they are well represented; so some were given up, the majority of these times are still used today like the Acheuléen, the Moustérien, the Solutréen or the Magdalénien.

The chronology was also specified by Henri Breuil, in particular with regard to the stratigraphic position of Aurignacien.

Current classification of European Prehistory

For the other areas, to see the synoptic Table of the principal prehistoric cultures of the Old World

Current classification always refers to a certain number of periods, very unequal durations, founded on the characteristics of their material cultures. These categories based on the study of the durable vestiges (lithic Industry primarily, then Ceramic and Metallurgy) were refined much with the modern research tools.

These periods have before a a whole chronological significance, even a cultural significance. They are often valid only for a given geographical surface and for a given period. For the old periods of Paleolithic, the cultural differences between industries are difficult to highlight and the variations can also be related to the function of the sites like to the types of materials used.

The first cultures appear in East Africa with the antiquated Paléolithique, expression used by certain researchers to indicate the first African lithic industries, followed Paléolithique inferior with the Oldowayen.

Chronology for Western Europe

The majority of these terms have limit value a geographically and often, plus the period is recent, plus the geographical area concerned is restricted. For other areas of the sphere, other cultures developed like the Paléoindien and the Formatif for the North America, or the Jomon for the Japan.

There exist other categories, of less lasted, which are not recognized in all the areas of the sphere or by the whole of the scientific community. It is the case, for example, of the Âge of copper or the Chalcolithique.

Some important dates

  • Paléolithique

    • There are 5 My
    • There is 400  000 years: domestication of the fire to Carry out-Dregan and Vértesszőlős
    • There is 100  000 years: first burials in the Middle East
    • There is 30  000 years: in Europe, Homo sapiens is the only remaining mankind after the disappearance of the Homme of Néandertal
    • There is 20  000 years: Painting S of Lascaux.

  • Neolithic

    • Towards -12  000/-10  000: Mégalithisme (Dolmen S and Menhir S)
    • Towards -10  000: first villages (Çatal Hüyük in Turkey)
    • Towards 3  300 av. J. - C.: invention of the writing in Egypt and Mésopotamie, end of Prehistory.

Notes and references of the article

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