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Before writing, there are no records we can read. We depend mainly on archaeological evidence .
What people left behind shows what they did . It rarely shows what they thought .
| Before writing | After writing | |
|---|---|---|
| Human history | More than 99 per cent - about 3 million years ago to 5000 years ago | Less than 1 per cent - the last 5000 years, including the present |
| Main source | Tools, implements and other objects made by humans ( artefacts ) | Both material remains and written documents |
| Lives of people | difficult to understand people's thoughts and ideas | Literature gives names, events, and social, political and cultural life |
| Measurement of time | Dating is only approximate - close, but not exact | Dating is fairly accurate , as documents mention exact dates of coronations (crownings of kings), wars and so on |
