Prehistoric Archaeology is concerned with the study of preliterate cultures from the beginnings of human history some three million years ago to the present day. In Central Europe, the prehistory ends with the Celts, but globally there is no cut-off date.
Research and teaching focus on the first agricultural societies and metal ages (Neolithic, Bronze Age, and Iron Age). The main area of study is Switzerland and Europe, but archaeological evidence from prehistoric cultures worldwide will become increasingly important in the future.
Today, the use of dating methods such as radiocarbon dating and dendrochronology are the scientific standard. Archaeology often intersects here with other disciplines: geography (Holocene climate and environmental development), geology (sediment analyses), as well as biology (paleoecology, archaeobotany and archaeozoology, physical anthropology).