What was prehistoric Britain like?

The Prehistoric period began when the first humans arrived in Britain.

It ended when the Romans invaded Britain in AD43.

This period is so large, that it is divided into three main ‘ages’:

• The Stone Age
• The Bronze Age
• The Iron Age

People could not read or write in this period so we have no written records from this time.

This means a lot of what we know comes from the discovery of artefacts, ancient tools and human remains.

Watch the video to learn more about what happened in Prehistoric Britain.

Important words on what we know about prehistoric Britain.

Prehistoric Britain began when the first humans arrived in the British Isles.

The Prehistoric period is divided into three ‘ages’, known as the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age.

The Stone Age lasted a very long time, so it is split up into three parts:

The first part was the Palaeolithic Period when humans were hunter-gatherers. They survived by hunting animals and finding food to eat.

Next came the Mesolithic period. This is when people began to develop new skills, like making smaller and finer tools.

The last part was the Neolithic period. This was when they learned to herd animals and grow crops.

This was a big change because they became farmers for the first time. They also began to build settlements and large monuments like Stonehenge.

After the Stone Age, people learned to use metal. First, they used bronze in the Bronze Age and then iron in the Iron Age.

Prehistoric people couldn't read or write, but they were incredible builders.

Their tombs, forts and monuments have survived for thousands of years.

The Prehistoric period ended when the Romans fought the Britons and conqueredBritain in AD43. Britain became part of the Roman Empire — a large group of countries or lands that was controlled by one ruler in Rome.

Watch the video to learn how archaeologists can find out about prehistoric Britain.

Prehistoric people left no written records, so how do we know about their lives?

Archaeologists, who studies objects and places from the past, work like detectives looking for evidence. They find things that can tell us more about the past.

Click through the slideshow to learn more about how we can learn about Prehistoric people.

The Prehistoric period came to an end when the Romans invaded Britain.

In 55BC, Julius Caesar tried to invade Britain, but he was driven back by the Britons. The next year he tried again and failed.

Almost 100 years later, in AD43, the Roman Emperor Claudius launched a new invasion, this time the Romans conquered most of Britain. They fought the Britons to gain control of the land and eventually made it part of the Roman Empire.

Some ancient Britons retreated to Cornwall, Wales and Scotland, where they continued to follow their Celtic customs.

Many others decided not to move, they stayed on in Britain and learned to live like the Romans.

A few Roman writers described the ancient Britons, their writings provide a valuable source of evidence for life in Iron Age Britain.

Julius Caesar pictured the Britons as fierce warriors, who rode their chariots into battle.

He wrote that:

All the Britons paint themselves with woad, which produces a dark blue colour, and for this reason they are much more frightful in appearance in battle.

Have a look at the thinking points below and think about your answer to each question. You could even write them down on a piece of paper or discuss them with somebody else if you want to.

• Now you know that prehistoric people couldn’t read or write, why do you think the discovery of tools, weapons and homes are important to archaeologists?

• Why do you think the discovery of farming is seen as the most important event in prehistoric Britain?

• The Stone Age lasted such a long time that it was split into three parts. How do you think people’s lives changed between the Palaeolithic period and the Neolithic period?

The prehistoric period is divided into three ‘ages’. They are known as the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age.

Click on the image to find out more.

Take a look at three very different archaeological sites: a fort, a mine and a tomb.

Click on the images to uncover evidence about prehistoric Britain.

Are you a parent, carer or teacher?

Take a look at some of the links below on KS2 History which are packed full of knowledge, videos, quizzes and activities.