We look after more than 90,000 archaeological sites across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, spanning one million years of human history and achievement. Follow the journey through British history through its archaeological artefacts, from the Prehistoric Period through to the 20th century.

Why is archaeology important? 
Archaeology helps us understand the stories behind the places that we care for, revealing their long histories and the people connected to them. By uncovering lost landscapes, buildings, buried remains and artefacts, we can make connections with past communities and understand more about the lives they led. 

The archaeological sites in our care include parts of 11 World Heritage Sites, more than 1,700 scheduled monuments (nationally important archaeological sites), and thousands of objects made by people in the past.

Prehistoric Period (c. 800,000–2500 BC)
The Prehistoric Period, also called prehistory, is the span of time before written records or documented history.

It can be split into three eras: Palaeolithic (c. 800,000–10,000 BC); Mesolithic (c. 10,000–4000 BC); and Neolithic (c. 4000–2500 BC).

During the Palaeolithic Era, which is also known as the Old Stone Age, our ancestors used stone tools to hunt large animals. Early humans were largely foragers and hunters, who lived in caves or trees, kept in small groups and were dependent on their local environment for survival.

The Mesolithic Era, or Middle Stone Age, saw our hunter-gatherer ancestors start to use smaller, more advanced tools and develop more sophisticated techniques for getting their food.

Civilisations during the Neolithic Era, or New Stone Age, introduced farming. Clearing countryside and forests in their path, they cultivated crops and domesticated livestock, making permanent settlements and forming villages and communities. They created polished stone tools, pottery, weaving, and megalithic monuments like Stonehenge. This period is known for transforming Britain’s landscape and society and for laying the foundation for modern society.