| Popis: |
The Mesolithic, the chronological stage between Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers and Neolithic agriculturalists, is well developed in northern and western Europe. As Mesolithic hunter-gatherers adapted to the post-glacial forests, there was an expansion of the resource base along with the more intensive utilization of plants and animals, including aquatic species. Mesolithic technological innovations included the bow and arrow and woodworking implements of flaked and ground stone, and utilitarian pottery appeared in a few Late Mesolithic cultures. The regional settlement pattern featured both large sedentary sites and smaller specialized sites; exotic items were exchanged among regional territories. Cemeteries appeared in the Mesolithic, and the differential distribution of grave goods suggests the beginning of social status. The Mesolithic in northern and western Europe ended with the arrival of the Neolithic around 4000 BC. |
