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The concept of prehistory and the invention of the terms 'prehistoric' and 'prehistorian': the Scandanavian origin, 1833-1850

Rowley-Conwy, P.

The concept of prehistory and the invention of the terms 'prehistoric' and 'prehistorian': the Scandanavian origin, 1833-1850 Thumbnail


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Abstract

It is usually assumed by historians of archaeology that the `concept of prehistory' and the terms `prehistoric' and `prehistorian' first appeared in Britain and/or France in the mid-nineteenth century. This contribution demonstrates that the Scandinavian equivalent terms forhistorisk and förhistorisk were in use substantially earlier, appearing in print first in 1834. Initial usage by Molbech differed slightly from that of the present day, but within three years the modern usage had been developed. The concept of prehistory was first developed at the same time by C.J. Thomsen, though he did not use the word. It was used more frequently in the nationalism debates of the 1840s, particularly by J.J.A. Worsaae. One of the other protagonists, the Norwegian Peter Andreas Munch, was probably responsible for introducing the concept to Daniel Wilson in 1849, and suggesting that an English equivalent to forhistorisk was required.

Citation

Rowley-Conwy, P. (2006). The concept of prehistory and the invention of the terms 'prehistoric' and 'prehistorian': the Scandanavian origin, 1833-1850. European Journal of Archaeology, 9(1), 103-130. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461957107077709

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Apr 1, 2006
Deposit Date Jul 23, 2009
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal European Journal of Archaeology
Print ISSN 1461-9571
Electronic ISSN 1741-2722
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 9
Issue 1
Pages 103-130
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/1461957107077709
Keywords Forhistorisk, Molbech, Munch, Nilsson, Prehistoric, Thomsen, Daniel Wilson, Worsaae.

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Copyright Statement
The final definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal European journal of archaeology 9/1 2006 Copyright © 2010 by European Association of Archaeologists, SAGE Publications by SAGE Publications Ltd at the European journal of archaeology page: http://eja.sagepub.com/ on SAGE Journals Online: http://online.sagepub.com/





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