A prehistoric archaeologist is an archaeologist who studies ancient human civilizations before written records were created. Because the process of writing came to different civilizations at different times, this type of archaeology can vary in time scale. In general, a prehistoric archaeologist can concentrate on nomadic civilizations such as those thought to have existed prior to 10,000 BC in the Stone Age or Paleolithic Age. Prehistoric archaeologists also study early city-state farming societies, such as those that existed in the Mediterranean nation of Malta from 4,100 BC to 5,000 BC during the Neolithic period. Later civilizations, such as ancient Sumeria and Egypt, which developed written records around 3,100 BC, can also be studied.
Protohistory is a term used to describe cultural studies involving early human civilizations. This period of human development is both formative and transformational, and it may include some forms of primitive written records. Often, these records take the form of pictograph writing composed of symbolic figures that later evolve into basic alphabets in various societies ranging from the Maya to the Chinese and Egyptians. Interpretation of hieroglyphics and examination of cave paintings, which marked humanity’s transition to a stage where abstract communication became a dominant feature of society, are examples of prehistoric archeology jobs.
The transitions that occurred around the world during the Neolithic period, also known as the last period of the Stone Age, are usually the focus of a prehistoric archaeologist’s efforts. Animals were domesticated during the Neolithic period, and nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles were abandoned in favor of primitive agriculture. It was also during this time that basic trade goods such as pottery and textiles started to be produced.
Though prehistoric archaeologists find the most evidence of such societies in the distant past of Euro-Asia, the formation of human settlements in Neolithic times varies widely from region to region. For example, the earliest human settlements in Tell Qaramel, Syria, date from between 10,700 and 9,400 BC, while the Knossus society in Crete dates from 7,000 BC. Other parts of the world have shown much different dates for prehistoric societies, such as the early Mayan civilization’s formation around 2,600 BC in central Mexico and research indicating that Aboriginal societies in Australia first formed around 39,000 BC.
Rare fossils, artifacts, and little or no written records are frequently used as evidence to define the nature of prehistoric societies. As a result, prehistoric archaeologists are frequently left to formulate theories based on scant concrete data about their subject. The study of prehistory through archeology can be a contentious field, with researchers arguing over theories about the purpose of artifacts and fossil sites.
Processualism and Functionalism are the two main schools of thought on the subject. Processualism is the belief that artifacts and fossils can reveal information about ancient societies’ anthropology or the human motivations of their inhabitants. Instead, in the 1930s, functionalism emerged as an American perspective on archeology that emphasized the importance of the natural environment in determining the purpose of artifacts and fossils found at dig sites.