protohistory
/ˌproʊtoʊˈhɪstəri/
noun
- The period of time between prehistory and recorded history, when some written records exist but are limited.
- Protohistory in Europe includes the time when Greek and Roman writers first mentioned local tribes.
- Many artifacts from protohistory have been uncovered in burial mounds.
- The study of protohistory helps us understand how societies developed writing.