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 and a sedentary lifestyle. The change in society was heralded by a number of fairly major climatic changes, including rapid global warming which changed animal habitats and 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)
European Mesolithic Sites
- Serbia: Lepenski Vir
- Ireland: Mount Sandel
- Denmark: Smakkerup Huse, Vedbaek
- Sweden: Skateholm, Dumpokjaurati
- The Netherlands: Brandwijk-Kerkhof
- Russia: Vis
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.
