ANCIENT HISTORY

period commencing with earliest knowledge of existence of man, and ending, by hist. convention, with temporary fall of civilization when Western Rom. empire came to an end, 476 A.D. The preceding period is Prehistoric, a term which has altered in meaning of late years; the ages before beginning of definite records used to be considered the fleld of archeology as opposed to pure history; now, however, that history has been established as a science, arch seo logical evidence is e ential history. Ethnologists divide history into eolithic, pal eolithic, neolithic, bronze, and iron ages, that is, into Stone and Metal Ages, discovery of metals forming great epoch in civilization. Australian aborigines, Amer, Indians, etc., are still in Stone Ages, but central stream of human events has left them behind as period of history. The date of appearance of Kolithic (‘earliest stonework’) man has been questioned; he po ibly existed in geological Tertiary Period, but the ‘eolithic’ remains discovered in Kent and at Baalbek may belong to Quaternary Period, and it is still doubtful whether those supposed implements are not merely natural products. Pal eolithic Period falls in Second Ice Age, when mammoth, rhinoceros, reindeer, etc., roamed in northern and central Europe, human race definitely appeared and cave drawings, evidence of rudimentary art, were made. The Neolithic Age, marked by similar climate, fauna, and flora to that of later times, closed, 4000-2000 B.C. (the first bronze objects known date from c. 3000). In the ordinary curriculum A.H. comrises the history of Egypt, As syria, abylonia, Persia, China, Greece, Macedonia, and Rome.