Prehistoric Archaeology of the British Isles Delve into the past with local Dr Amber as she introduces you to the prehistory of the British Isles. The course is aimed at anyone who is interested in the archaeology of Britain. It will cover 500,000 years of prehistory from the Palaeolithic to the Iron age, providing you with a grounding in British prehistoric archaeology and the changing ways of life over this vast period. Lesson 1 The course outline will follow the chronology of prehistory, starting with the Palaeolithic (Old Stone Age) (500,000-10,000 BC). This week will introduce the different hominin species, such as Homo erectus, Neanderthals and Homo sapiens and their use of fire, tools and rock art. Lesson 2 This week will discuss the changes we see in Britain in the Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) (10,000-4,000 BC), including the use of microlithic (small) flint tools, the hunter-gatherer lifestyle and rock art. The much-debated change from the Mesolithic to the Neolithic period will also be introduced. Lesson 3 Week three will discuss the Neolithic (New Stone Age) proper (4,000-2300 BC). This period is seen as the single most important economic transition in British History due to the beginning of farming, large scale trade networks and new ways of burying the dead. Lesson 4 We will look at the technological changes in the Bronze Age (2300-800 BC) when copper, bronze and gold objects and weapons were first produced. Themes such as violence, the burial of the dead and the deposition of metal hoards will be discussed. Lesson 5 The final week of the course will discuss the last period of British Prehistory, the Iron Age (800BC-43AD). The Celtic affiliation we often link with this period will be discussed along with the development of iron technology and the use of domestic areas for ritual. The shift into the Roman period will also be introduced to provide a full rounded introduction to British Prehistory.