forhistorie

Forhistorie, or prehistory, denotes the period of human existence before written records. The term combines for- (“before”) with historie (history). Because it is defined by the absence of writing rather than a fixed date, the span of forhistorie varies by region.

Globally, forhistorie begins with the emergence of anatomically modern humans and their earliest tool cultures in Africa and ends with the appearance of writing, which occurred at different times in different places (for example in parts of the Near East and Egypt around 3400–3200 BCE, later in Europe and Asia, and much later in the Americas).

Typical phases include the Stone Age (palaeolithic, mesolithic, neolithic) followed by the Bronze Age and Iron Age in many regions. During these periods, humans developed stone and metal tools, adopted farming and animal domestication, and formed settlements, social structures, and trade networks.

The study of forhistorie relies on archaeology, paleoanthropology, linguistics, and genetics, incorporating dating methods and environmental reconstruction to illuminate human evolution, technology, and cultural change prior to historical records.