From K. Kris Hirst,
Your Guide to Archaeology.
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Definition: The European Mesolithic period is traditionally that time period in the Old World between the last glaciation (ca. 10,000 years BP) and beginning of the Neolithic (ca. 5000 years BP), when farming communities began to be established. During this period, humans hunted and fished, and began to learn how to domesticate animals and plants.

Such a large span of time involves quite a bit of variety, and the late Mesolithic hunters are now known to have developed pottery ad a sedent ary lifestyle. The change in society was heralded by a number of fairly major climatic changes, including rapid global warming which changed animal habitats, raised the sea level.

Mesolithic Chronology and Timeline

Detailed chronological periods have been established, beginning with date on excavated southern Scandinavian sites.

• Maglemose {9500-7600 BP)
• Kongemose (7600-6500 BP)
• Ertebolle (6500-5000 BP)

Sources

Mithen, Steven. 1996. European Mesolithic. In Oxford Companion to Archaeology, B. Fagan, editor. Oxford University Press, New York.

Price, T. D. 1983 The European Mesolithic. American Antiquity 48:761-778.

Price, T. D. 1989 The reconstruction of Mesolithic diets. In The Mesolithic in Europe. C. Bonsall, ed. Pp. 48-59. John Donald Publishers, Edinburgh.

Also Known As: Mesolithic

Examples: Lepenski Vir (Serbia), Mount Sandel (Ireland), Star Carr (England)