Prehistory is the period before written history. Most of our knowledge of that period comes from the work of archaeologists. Prehistory is often known as the Stone Age, and is divided into the Paleolithic… See more

The ancient Near East is considered the cradle of civilization. It was the first to practice intensive year-round agriculture; created one of the first coherent writing systems, invented the potter's wheel and then the ve… See more

The rise of civilisation corresponded with the institutional sponsorship of belief in gods, supernatural forces and the afterlife. During the Bronze Age, many civilisations adopted their own form of polytheism. Usually, pol… See more

• Outline of ancient history See more