The diverse timeline of when human history actually began
In short: Prehistory is defined by the absence of writing, but the end of that era arrived at vastly different times across the globe. This video explores the vast span between the first stone tools and the diverse emergence of literacy.
Prehistory, or pre-literary history, spans from the first use of stone tools by hominins approximately 3.3 million years ago until the invention of writing systems. While symbols and images appeared early in human development, formal writing systems only began to emerge about 5,000 years ago.
The transition out of prehistory was not a universal event. Because writing systems took thousands of years to become widely adopted, some cultures did not develop them until the 19th century, while others remain non-literate today. Consequently, the boundary between prehistory and history is a fluid concept that varies significantly by geography.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Prehistory (The Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages) BEGINNINGS Ep. 1
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