Pre & Protohistory #1

[Klaas]

The science concerning prehistory was first established in the 19th century as a reaction against the Biblical interpretation. The most important sciences in this area were archeology and geology, of which Jacques Boucher de Perthes, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, Georges Cuvier and Charles Drawin are the most important representatives.

The human past can be divided according the following criteria:

1. Text

Does a society have a written tradtion or not?

Prehistory means societies or civilisations without any texts, ranging from the first humans until circa 3000 B.C. (in the Middle East), 2400 B.C. (Indus valley) or 58/57 B.C. (conquest of Gaul by Caesar).

Protohistory is used for cultures not knowing how to write but are known by writings of other civilisations (eg. Greek texts about the Celts).

2. Technological evolution

In the classical period a golden, silver, bronze and iron age was used (Lucretius). Evolution went regressive, meaning from good to bad.

Since the 19th century three periods are used and evolution went progressive, from less good to good.

The three period system, made popular by Christian Jens Thomsen:

Stone age: period when weapons and tools were made of stone, bone or other materials. Little to nothing was known about metals.

Bronze age: period when weapons and some tools were made of copper or bronze and when little to nothing was known about iron.

Iron age: period when bronze was replaced by iron.

These three periods can be divided in other periods:

Stone age: Paleolithicum (early or old stone age), Mesolithicum (middle stone age) and Neolithicum (young or late stone age).

There is also a Chalcolithicum (copper age), between the stone age and bronze age.

3. Economic evolution

Three divisions: Hunters, Hunters/collectors, Food producing people.

4. Antropologic evolution

For this theory a certain civilisation goes through several stadia. In respective order:

Band: Less then 100 individuals, several core families living together. There is no leadership, nor specialisation (eg. no people who only make food or only look after the children). They are nomadic and live in temporary camps.

Tribe: less then 1000 individuals. Known for the first cultures producing food. They are either nomadic or sedentary. No real leaders yet, rather temporary leaders. Hierarchy is based on age and sex.

Chiefdom: 5000 - 20.000 or more individuals. Political power is centralised with a 'chief' (hereditary). The chief also has the religious power and usually a central temple or sacred place. The people are more specialised.

State: not prehistoric, more then 20.000 individuals. The society is based on a class system, starting with peasants and the plebs, traders, priests and warriors, ending with the leading class or royal family.

That's it, next one will be about the Flaura and Fauna during the prehistoric age.