1. a scholar or specialist who studies protohistory, the period of human history between prehistory and written history
Usage: academic/scholarly term; often used in archaeology and anthropology

Examples

• The protohistorian examined artifacts from the Bronze Age to understand the transition to written civilization.
• As a protohistorian, she focused on cultures that had developed some form of writing but left limited written records.
• Protohistorians use both archaeological evidence and fragmentary written sources to reconstruct ancient societies.
• The conference brought together protohistorians from around the world to discuss early Mediterranean cultures.
• His work as a protohistorian bridged the gap between prehistoric and classical studies.