protohistorie

Protohistorie (protohistory) is a term used in archaeology and historiography to denote a transitional interval between prehistory and written history in a given region. It encompasses times when writing exists only in limited form—such as inscriptions or foreign literary accounts—while large parts of a society's history rely on archaeological evidence and oral tradition. The core idea is that researchers can use both textual remnants and material culture to reconstruct social structures, economies, and interactions, even though a continuous native written record is lacking.

Protohistory is distinct from true prehistory, which has no local writing or textual sources at all, and from full historical periods with a continuous native narrative. The boundaries and dating of protohistoric phases vary by region, depending on when writing appears locally or when neighboring literate cultures begin to report on the area. In Europe, for example, the protohistoric period often refers to the late Iron Age and early Roman contacts, when Greek and Roman authors mention peoples such as the Celts and Germans, and when local inscriptions begin to appear. In other regions, protohistory may focus on early writing industries interacting with literate neighbors.

Scholars emphasize that protohistory is a construct of historiography, not a single uniform phase. Its value lies in highlighting how writing and literacy interact with material culture and how outsiders’ texts can complement indigenous evidence, while also cautioning against overreliance on fragmentary sources.