noun
prehistoric period
Refers to the time before written records; often used in historical or archaeological contexts.
この遺跡は前史時代のものだ。
These ruins are from the prehistoric period.
Synonymous; 先史時代 is more common in modern usage, while 前史時代 is less frequent but carries the same meaning.
Compound of 前史 (prehistory) and 時代 (period, era). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is conventionally used to denote the prehistoric era.