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Prehistoric
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About 500,000 BC to 42 AD
The Prehistoric period covers all the periods from the Palaeolithic to the end of the Iron Age.
This is a time when people did not write anything down so there is no documentary evidence for archaeologists to look at. Instead, the archaeologists look at the material culture belonging to the people and the places where they lived for clues about their way of life.
The Prehistoric period is divided into the Early Prehistoric and Later Prehistoric.
The Early Prehistoric period covers the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods.
The Later Prehistoric period covers Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age times.
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Mesolithic
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About 10,000 BC to 4001 BC
Mesolithic means 'Middle Stone Age'. It is the period that comes between the Palaeolithic (Old Stone Age) and the Neolithic (New Stone Age).
The Mesolithic period is a period of transition from the way people were living during the Palaeolithic period as hunter-gatherers to the development of farming in the Neolithic period.
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Iron Age
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About 800 BC to 43 AD
The Iron Age comes after the Bronze Age and before the Roman period. It is a time when people developed the skills and knowledge to work and use iron, hence the name ‘Iron Age’ which is given to this period. Iron is a much tougher and more durable metal than bronze but it also requires more skill to make objects from it. People continued to use bronze during this period.
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ARCHAEOLOGICAL FEATURE *
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Use only for features assumed to be archaeological but which cannot be identified more precisely without further investigation .Use more specific term where known
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ARCH *
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A structure over an opening usually formed of wedge-shaped blocks of brick or stone held together by mutual pressure and supported at the sides; they can also be formed from moulded concrete/ cast metal. A component; use for free-standing structure only.
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FINDSPOT *
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The approximate location at which stray finds of artefacts were found. Index with object name.
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CHURCH *
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A building used for public Christian worship. Use more specific type where known.
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FIELD *
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An area of land, often enclosed, used for cultivation or the grazing of livestock.
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FARM BUILDING *
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A building or structure of unknown function found on a farm. Use more specific type where known.
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FARM *
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A tract of land, often including a farmhouse and ancillary buildings, used for the purpose of cultivation and the rearing of livestock, etc. Use more specific type where known.
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* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)
