WHAT USE IS PREHISTORY TO THE HISTORIAN? History is built with words. How have historians filled the silence that came before?

The article examines the evolving distinction between history and prehistory, highlighting how the traditional emphasis on written records as the defining feature of history has been challenged. It traces the origins of the concept of prehistory to 19th-century European scholarship, which framed prehistory as the period before writing, often marginalizing oral cultures and non-Western societies. Scholars argue that this division is artificial and rooted in colonial perspectives that have undervalued material culture and oral traditions, particularly in Africa. The article also discusses how archaeological and scientific approaches have expanded understandings of the deep past, while questioning the usefulness of rigid chronological categories and advocating for more nuanced frameworks to interpret human history across diverse cultures.