Prehistory is the term for a period of time prior to the written records. Prehistory is not a definite time, rather the period in any society before the use of writing.
According to evolutionists, prehistory covers about 4.5 billion years, from the formation of the Earth to the start of civilisations with writing. Young-Earth creationists deny that there is any such thing as prehistory (in a global sense), on the basis of history starting with creation.