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When is the most commonly accepted date that delineates 'prehistory' from 'ancient' history? What is meant by 'prehistory'?

Question #151830. Asked by odo5435.
Last updated Nov 27 2024.
Originally posted Nov 27 2024 7:24 AM.

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elburcher star
Answer has 5 votes
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elburcher star
25 year member
1588 replies avatar

Answer has 5 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
Prehistory is the time before the existence of "Written Records" and the human ability to write e.g. the era of Dinosaurs.
Prehistory is the period before written history became available to assist our understanding of the past. The term was introduced into English by Daniel Wilson (1816–1892), President of Toronto University College, in 1851.

link https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Prehistory

Ancient history begins with the human development of writing.
Ancient History is considered to be the first period of the History of Humanity, preceded by pre-history and followed by the Middle Ages. According to tradition, the invention of writing marks the beginning of Ancient History, as it was a very important moment in history that allowed humans to develop a more advanced form of communication. Likewise, the end of Ancient History is dated around the year 476 AD with the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

link https://ancientcivilizationsworld.com/what-is-ancient-history/

Response last updated by elburcher on Nov 27 2024.
Nov 27 2024, 9:53 AM
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looney_tunes star
Answer has 3 votes
looney_tunes star
Moderator
20 year member
3332 replies avatar

Answer has 3 votes.
Since written language developed at different times in different places, there is no one universal date for the beginning of Ancient History, although many European historians (and those in areas colonised by Europeans) tend to use around 2600-2700 BCE, with Egyptian and Sumerian records emerging. The end of Ancient History, as shown above, is traditionally linked to the Roman Empire, a very Eurocentric demarcation indeed!

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_languages_by_first_written_account

Nov 27 2024, 5:37 PM
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