Archaeological Periods

Britain since the end of the Ice Age

A simple timeline. Click on the period to go to more information about it.

Modern: since AD1901

Some key events are urban expansion, the World Wars, the Cold War, the Space Race, and the Information Age. Some key inventions are flight, radio and television, mobile technology and computer technology.

Some famous Modern sites are Ironbridge, St Paul’s Cathedral and Park Hill Flats.

Post Medieval: AD1547 to AD1901

Some key events are the Protestant Reformation, the creation of Great Britain, the British Empire, the Industrial Revolution

Some famous Post Medieval sites are

Medieval: AD1066 to AD1547

Some key events are the creation of England and Scotland, the English conquest of Wales, castles, cathedrals, cities and open field systems.

Some famous Medieval sites are Conwy Castle, Wharram Percy and York Minster.

Migration or Early Medieval: AD450 to AD1066

Some key events are the Anglo-Saxon and Irish migrations and conquests, the creation small kingdoms, the founding of Christian abbeys and bishops.

Some famous Early Medieval sites are Jarrow Church,Offa’s Dyke and Tintagel.

Roman or Romano-British: AD43 to AD450

Some key events are the Roman conquest, the buildings of forts, towns, villas, roads, baths & temples, the arrival of Christianity and stone buildings.

Some famous Romano-British sites are Bath, Hadrian’s Wall, Vindolanda, Chester, and St Alban’s.

Iron Age: 700BC to AD43

Some key events are the development of iron tools, hill forts, brochs, farmsteads, the use of coins, growth of kingdoms, ports, rich burials.

Some famous Iron Age sites are Danebury, Maiden Castle, Hengistbury Head and Snettisham.

Late Bronze Age: 1400BC to 700BC

Some key events are more and better bronze tools, farms and fields, importance of rivers, lakes and bogs, warrior leaders.

Some famous Late Bronze Age sites are Dartmoor, Flag Fen and Great Orme.

Early Bronze Age: 2300BC to 1400BC

Some key events are bronze tools, people begin farming the uplands, henges, stone circles and rich burials.

Some famous Early Bronze Age sites are Bush Barrow, Calanais, Stonehenge and Catholme.

Late Neolithic or New Stone Age: 3200BC to 2300BC

Some key events are that people build henges and stone circles, religious beliefs involve the sun, possible priestly leaders.

Some famous Late Neolithic sites are Grimes Graves, Skara Brae and Stonehenge & Avebury.

Early Neolithic or New Stone Age: 4000BC to 3200BC

Some key events are farming begins, people build tombs and enclosures, mine flint and quarry stone, people begin to make pottery.

Some famous Early Neolithic sites are Cissbury, Windmill Hill and West Kennet.

Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age: 10,000BC to 4000BC

Some key events are hunter-gatherers repopulate Britain after the end of the Ice Age, Britain becomes an island.

Some famous Mesolithic sites are Aveline’s Hole, Howick and Star Carr.