Knowra Mesolithic Mesolithic The Mesolithic is a prehistoric period between the Paleolithic and Neolithic, marked by hunter-gatherer societies and regionally varied technologies and lifeways.
Paleolithic : The prehistoric period preceding the Mesolithic, associated with stone tools and hunter-gatherer lifeways. The Mesolithic follows this broad and much longer period.
Microlith : A small, deliberately shaped stone tool, often fitted into a composite implement. Microliths became characteristic components of many Mesolithic toolkits.
Natufian culture : An Epipaleolithic culture of the Levant, known for substantial settlements and intensive use of wild cereals. Its settled communities illustrate developments near the Mesolithic-to-Neolithic transition.
Epipaleolithic : A term for cultures following the Upper Paleolithic, often used for periods before farming in Southwest Asia. Archaeologists may use this label where Mesolithic is less fitting or conventional.
Neolithic : A prehistoric period associated with farming, domesticated animals, and often settled communities. Its arrival marks the transition beyond Mesolithic lifeways in many regions.
Composite tool : A tool assembled from multiple materials or parts, such as stone elements set into a handle. Small stone pieces could be hafted together to make cutting and hunting tools.
Ertebølle culture : A Late Mesolithic culture of southern Scandinavia, associated with coastal foraging and pottery. Its coastal settlements show a distinctive northern European Mesolithic economy.
Neolithization : The gradual spread or independent development of farming, herding, and related Neolithic lifeways. Its varied pace means the Mesolithic ended at different times across regions.
Hunter-gatherer : A person or society that obtains food primarily by hunting, fishing, and gathering wild resources. Foraging remained the main subsistence strategy across Mesolithic societies.
Bow and arrow : A projectile weapon consisting of a flexible bow that propels an arrow. Its use is evidenced at some Mesolithic sites and suited mobile hunting.
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