Prehistory: Definition and Timeline (Video)

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Sue the Tyrannosaurus Rex on Display in Washington D.C. 370587 01: The Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton known as Sue stands on display at Union Station June 7, 2000 in Washington D.C. Sue, the 67 million-year-old dinosaur, is scheduled to be put on display in many cities around the world. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Newsmakers)

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Why Did the Dinosaurs Die Out?

Many Theories, No Proof Dinosaurs roamed the earth for 160 million years until their sudden demise some 65.5 million years ago, in an event now known as the Cretaceous-Tertiary, or K-T, extinction event. (“K” is the abbreviation for Cretaceous, which is associated with the German word “Kreidezeit.”) Besides dinosaurs, many other species of mammals, amphibians […]

Stone Age

The Stone Age marks a period of prehistory in which humans used primitive stone tools. Lasting roughly 2.5 million years, the Stone Age ended around 5,000 years ago when humans began working with metal and making tools and weapons from bronze.

Bronze Age

Bronze Age Tools Ancient Sumer may have been the first civilization to start adding tin to copper to make bronze. Bronze was harder and more durable than copper, which made bronze a better metal for tools and weapons. Archaeological evidence suggests the transition from copper to bronze took place around 3300 B.C. The invention of […]

Neanderthals

Neanderthal Skull Discovered In 1829, part of the skull of a Neanderthal child was found in a cave near Engis, Belgium. It was the first Neanderthal fossil ever found, though the skull wasn’t recognized as belonging to a Neanderthal until decades later. Quarry workers cutting limestone in the Feldhofer Cave in Neandertal, a small valley […]

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5 Iron Age Tools and Innovations

New techniques helped make iron stronger—but there were also innovations in the use of gold, silver and stone.

6 Major Breakthroughs in Hunter-Gatherer Tools

From sharpened rocks to polished stone axes, Stone Age human ancestors made progressively more complex devices over 2.6 million years.

This ice age-era painting in the Chauvet Cave in southern France dates to around 32,000-30,000 B.C.

What Prehistoric Cave Paintings Reveal About Early Human Life

Some of the oldest known art may hint at the beginning of language development, while later examples portray narratives with human and animal figures.

How Early Humans Survived the Ice Age

Our human ancestors’ big, creative brains helped them devise tools and strategies to survive harsh climates.

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Origins of Man

Genetic analysis helps to decipher the mysteries of human evolution.

3:51 minTV-PG

Origins of the Clovis People

Clovis points found on the east coast of the U.S. challenge the traditional theory that the Clovis people migrated to North-America via the Bering land bridge.

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1:45 minTV-PG

Unearthing Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs can reveal fascinating details of how life was 65 million years ago. But unearthing them can prove to be challenging.

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2:30 minTV-14

Salt

Salt–necessary for human life–was once a highly prized commodity that could not be easily accessed in many parts of the world.

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