The Ages of Man
    Scholars divide the long span of prehistory into several ages as a way of describing in shorthand form the dominant features of each set of cultures. The dates they attach to these ages are, however, only approximate. Moreover, since technological developments occurred in different parts of the world at different times, the cut-off dates vary from country to country. The dates shown here are commonly accepted divisions for the prehistory of northwestern Europe.
Palæolithic Age
(Old Stone Age) 		300,000 to 8,000 BC
Mesolithic Age
(Middle Stone Age) 		8,000 to 2,700 BC
Neolithic
(New Stone Age) 		2,700 to 1,900 BC
Bronze Age 1,900 to 500 BC
Iron Age 500 to 51BC (date of publication of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars and beginning of recorded history in northwestern Europe).

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