Prehistories

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A collection of past events and developments, particularly from a time before written records were kept
2. The study or narrative regarding ancient times, often focusing on the origins of cultures and human society
3. Accounts referring to the history of humanity or specific societies before recorded documentation became available

Etymology: The word in question is the plural form of "prehistory," which refers to the period of human past before written records were kept. The singular form entered English in the early 19th century as scholars sought to distinguish the era before documented history from the historical periods that followed. "Prehistory" itself is a compound formed from the prefix "pre-" meaning "before," and "history," which is derived from the Greek "historia," meaning "inquiry" or "knowledge acquired by investigation." The prefix "pre-" comes from Latin, and it was attached to "history" to indicate a time frame preceding written accounts. This formation reflects the rise of archaeology and anthropology as disciplines that aimed to reconstruct the human past through material remains rather than texts. The plural form simply extends this concept to multiple narratives or accounts of prehistoric times, often used in contexts discussing various prehistoric cultures or epochs. While "prehistory" is often treated as a mass noun representing a single vast timeframe, "prehistories" allows speakers and writers to emphasize the diversity and multiplicity of early human experiences and archaeological records across different regions and periods. Thus, the term connects modern understanding of human origins and early civilizations with the linguistic tools that help categorize and discuss the vast, unwritten stretches of time before recorded history began.

Synonyms: ancient histories, primal histories