Beginning

The term "prehistory" can refer to the vast span of time since the beginning of the Universe or the Earth, but more often it refers to the period since life appeared on Earth, or even more specifically to the time since human-like beings appeared.

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End

The date marking the end of prehistory in a particular culture or region, that is, the date when relevant written historicalrecords become a useful academic resource, varies enormously from region to region.

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Time periods: 

In dividing up human prehistory, historians typically use the three-age system. The three consecutive time periods are: