What is prehistory?
Prehistory (Zaman Prasejarah) is the very long time before writing was invented. Because early people did not write, they left no books or letters. Instead, we learn about them from the things they left behind.
How we study prehistory
Scientists called archaeologists dig carefully in the ground. They study artefacts such as stone tools, bones, pottery and cave drawings. These clues are primary sources that tell us how people once lived.
The stages of prehistory
| Palaeolithic | Old Stone Age; simple stone tools |
| Mesolithic | Middle Stone Age; better tools |
| Neolithic | New Stone Age; farming and pottery |
| Metal Age | Tools made of metal |
Each stage lasted a very long time. By comparing artefacts from different stages, we can see how people slowly learned new skills and made better tools.
Key idea
Prehistory is the age before writing. We learn about it from artefacts, not from books.
Remember
- Prehistory came before writing.
- Archaeologists dig up artefacts as clues.
- The stone stages are Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic.