histor-, histori- +

1. The period of time before human civilization and culture for which there is no documentary evidence: The term prehistory was coined by Daniel Wilson in 1851 to cover the story of man's development before the appearance of writing.

Prehistory is succeeded by "protohistory", the period where there are some records which must still rely largely on archaeological evidence to give people a coherent account.
2. The occurrences which have lead up to a certain event or phenomenon: Grace was interested in reading more about the prehistory of capitalism, which was important for her class at school.

1. The period in any area following prehistory and preceding the appearance of coherent history derived from written records. It is a transitional time period between prehistory and recorded history, for which both archaeological and historical data are employed.
2. A time when non-literate aboriginal peoples had access to European goods but did not have face-to-face contact.
3. Periods during which historical documentation is fragmentary or not directly from the society being studied.
4. The period of 1250-1519 AD in Mesoamerica, which followed the Postclassic and ends just before the Spanish conquest (there are historic documents for this period).

False, pretended, counterfeit, spurious, or sham history.

The combined use of psychology (especially psychoanalysis) and history in the writing, especially of biography.

Making guesses about things that can not be verified: history quotes.

The time when literate people came in contact with and wrote about nonliterate peoples.

Having significance that transcends the historical; universal or eternal.

1. Taking little or no account of history.
2. Not in accordance with history or historical analysis.
3. Not possessed of a historical character; not having actually occurred.