Mesolithic
The
Mesolithic (
Greek mesos=middle and
lithos=stone or the 'Middle Stone Age') was a period in the development of
human technology between the
Paleolithic and
Neolithic periods of the
Stone Age. It began at the end of the
Pleistocene epoch around 10,000 years ago and ended with
the introduction of farming, the date of which varied in each geographical region. In some areas, such as the
Near East farming was already in use by the end of the
Pleistocene and there the Mesolithic is short and poorly defined. In areas with limited glacial impact, the term
Epipaleolithic is sometimes preferred. Regions that experienced greater environmental effects as the
last ice age ended have a much more apparent Mesolithic era, lasting millennia. In Northern Europe for example, societies were able to live well on rich food supplies from the marshlands created by the warmer climate. Such conditions produced distinctive human behaviours which are preserved in the material record, such as the
Maglemosian and
Azilian cultures. Such conditions also delayed the coming of the Neolithic until as late as 4000 BCE in Northern Europe.
Remains from this period are few and far between, often limited to
middens (rubbish heaps which grew over time). In forested areas of the world, the first signs of
deforestation have been found, although this would only start in earnest during the
Neolithic, when extra space for farming was needed.
The mesolithic is characterized by small composite
flint tools (
microliths and
microburins) in most areas. Fishing
tackle, stone
adzes and wooden objects such as
canoes and
bows have been found preserved at some sites.
*
Franchthi in
Greece*
Lepenski Vir in
Serbia*
Cramond in the
United Kingdom*
Howick house in the
United Kingdom*
Star Carr in the
United Kingdom*
Newbury in the
United Kingdom
