history of civilization
Academic term referring to the historical study of civilizations, their development, and cultural achievements.
He is majoring in the history of civilization at university.
This book explains the history of world civilizations in an easy-to-understand way.
文化史 is 'cultural history', focusing on cultural aspects, whereas 文明史 encompasses broader civilizational development including technology, institutions, and social structures.
Compound of 文明 (civilization) and 史 (history). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning.