The Prehistoric Society is an international

learned society A learned society (; also learned academy, scholarly society, or academic association) is an organization that exists to promote an discipline (academia), academic discipline, profession, or a group of related disciplines such as the arts and s ...

devoted to the study of the human past from the earliest times until the emergence of

written history Recorded history or written history describes the historical events that have been recorded in a written form or other documented communication which are subsequently evaluated by historians using the historical method. For broader world his ...

. Now based at

University College London , mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £143 million (2020) , budget = ...

in the United Kingdom, it was founded by

V. Gordon Childe Vere Gordon Childe (14 April 189219 October 1957) was an Australian archaeologist who specialised in the study of European prehistory. He spent most of his life in the United Kingdom, working as an academic for the University of Edinburgh and th ...

Stuart Piggott Stuart Ernest Piggott, (28 May 1910 – 23 September 1996) was a British archaeologist, best known for his work on prehistoric Wessex. Early life Piggott was born in Petersfield, Hampshire, the son of G. H. O. Piggott, and was educated t ...

and

Grahame Clark Sir John Grahame Douglas Clark (28 July 1907 – 12 September 1995), who often published as J. G. D. Clark, was a British archaeologist who specialised in the study of Mesolithic Europe and palaeoeconomics. He spent most of his career working at ...

in 1935 but also traces its founding to the earlier Prehistoric Society of East Anglia which began in 1908. The society is a

registered charity A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a ch ...

under English law. Membership is by subscription and includes the annual journal, ''Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society'', which continues ''Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society of East Anglia'' (1911-1934), and bulletins from the newsletter, ''PAST'', which is published in April, July and November. It also organises regular conferences, lectures and other events and makes grants for

archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

research.

Awards

The Prehistoric Society gives out a number of annual grants and awards, including the Baguley Award for the best contribution to that year's ''Proceedings''. The Baguley Award is named in honour of Rodney M. Baguley and was inaugurated in 1979.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Prehistoric Society, The Archaeological organizations Archaeology of the United Kingdom Learned societies of the United Kingdom 1935 establishments in England Organizations established in 1935 Charities based in England