Prehistoric Britain refers to the time before the Roman invasion in AD 43. Humans lived there before the Last Glacial Maximum, and prehistoric Britons left behind large mounds and hill forts. Cup casting techniques were brought from Spain and Portugal, and the Bronze Age began in 2,150 BC. The Iron Age began in 750 BC, and Celtic culture spread throughout Great Britain in 600 BC. The prehistoric age of Britain ended with the Roman conquest.
Prehistoric Britain refers to the time period before the Roman invasion of Britain in AD 43, although some historical references exist before this. The island of Great Britain has been occupied on and off by members of the Homo genus (such as Homo erectus) for hundreds of thousands of years and by modern humans for tens of thousands of years. DNA analysis has shown that humans lived in Britain before the Last Glacial Maximum, more than 20,000 years ago, although only southern Britain would have been habitable at that time, while northern Britain was completely covered by glaciers. A long time ago (500,000 years) prehistoric Britain had elephants, rhinos and hippos which were hunted by the natives. These natives were not Homo sapiens but Homo heidelbergensis, a pre-human ancestor.
During the last glacial period, up to 12,000 years ago, the world’s sea level was lowest and Great Britain and Ireland were both connected to each other and to the mainland. Archaeological finds have indicated that humans reoccupied Britain after the glacial period in 12,000 BC. None of the pre-Roman occupants of Britain had a written language or literature, so they are only known from archaeological finds. These occupants of prehistoric Britain left behind large mounds and hill forts, some of which would have required thousands of man-years to labour, indicating a level of social organization in prehistoric Britain of which there is no record.
Around 2,500 BC, cup casting techniques were brought to Britain from Spain and Portugal, and the indigenous people began mining tin and copper which they exported throughout Europe. Beginning in 2,150 BC, the inhabitants learned to make bronze by combining copper with a small amount of tin, which ushered in the Bronze Age in Britain, eventually replacing stone tools. The British were grain farmers and also engaged in salt production.
The Iron Age in Britain began around 750 BC and the iron-tipped plow revolutionized agriculture, allowing for population growth like never before. The modern age of cities materialized in this period, with many closed villages. In 600 BC Celtic culture spread throughout Great Britain, giving it the title of “Celtic Britain” and resulting in the creation of many charms that have been discovered by archaeologists. Prehistoric Britain was written about by the Greek historian Pytheas in 325 BC, when he explored the island’s shores, and Julius Caesar wrote of Britain in 50 BC, about a century before it was conquered by his descendants. This brought a close to the prehistoric age of Britain.
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