Precursor

The Precursors were mentioned in the Bestiarum as the race preceding and mythologized by the Forerunners, being theoretical "Trans-sentient" beings, having the ability to travel between galaxies and accelerate the evolution of intelligent life. The Precursors achieved a higher level technological advancement than the Forerunners, Tier 0, or (Trans-sentience) on the Forerunners' Technological Achievement Scale.

History
Not much is known about them, but information that can be found by text from the logs stored in the Terminals around the Ark indicates it is possible that the Forerunner 'Mantle' (Guardians of the Galaxy and all life) was handed down from "legends of the past": the Precursors. It has been presumed that the Precursors viewed the Forerunners as their own legacy, continuing their work after they departed, much in the same way Forerunner viewed Humanity before the activation of the rings. In this way, Humanity is related to the Precursors.

Trivia

 * The term Precursor means "one that precedes and indicates the approach of another". The term supports that it surpassed the Forerunners. Also, Precursor in Latin can mean Forerunner, but this is only due to the language's ambiguity.
 * The Precursors were the only civilization to achieve Tier 0 of the Forerunner Technological Achievement Tiers and to exceed the Forerunners in technological advancement.
 * In Halo: The Fall of Reach, Dr. Halsey uses the term Precursor to describe the alien race that created the crystal found on Sigma Octanus IV.
 * The concept of Precursors resembles the Golden Race of Greek mythology, which was the first race created by the Gods, prior to the Silver Race (which was destroyed by the flood; if the Golden Race are the Precursors, then the Silver Race would be the Forerunner, further proved because they preceded Humanity. The Silver Race was destroyed by a flood, much like the Forerunner were, though of a different nature), and Humanity.
 * The Precursors played the same part as the Forerunners after them, laying the seeds for another civilizaton.