O Mesolithic Period corresponds to the period of prehistoric transition between the Paleolithic (Age of the Lascada Stone) and the Neolithic (Age of the Polished Stone). This transition took place slowly and gradually, the Mesolithic being the period that encompasses this change.
Cabin from the Mesolithic Period, Scotland, United Kingdom
Note that while the Paleolithic term means “Ancient Stone Age” and the Neolithic term “New Stone Age”, the Mesolithic term means “Middle Stone Age” or “Among Stones”.
Divisions of the Mesolithic
This period is divided into two phases:
- Epipaleolytic: corresponds to the final and post-glacial phase of the Paleolithic and the initial phase of the Mesolithic.
- protoneolytic: corresponds to the final phase of the Mesolithic and the beginning of the Neolithic.
Characteristics
It was during the late Paleolithic and early Mesolithic (circa 10,000 BC Ç. up to 5,000 a. C.) that the earth underwent geological and climatic changes, which led to several changes in the life of prehistoric man. One of the last glaciations occurred and the temperature became milder, allowing a new life to the population.
Thus, the nomadic Paleolithic man who lived his life walking in search of shelter and food, was inserted in a very hostile climate, called the "Ice Age". Thus, in the face of so many bad weather, to survive, the Paleolithic man inhabited the caves to protect himself from the extreme cold, as well as to escape from ferocious animals.
In the Mesolithic period, men, called stationary nomads (related to the seasons of the year) often inhabited caves during the winter and in the summers they camped near the rivers, which led them to learn fishing techniques and build new tools (hooks, arrows, nets, harpoons, etc.). In short, Paleolithic cave life was replaced by outdoor life.
This was essential for them to start sedentarizing (staying in one place), which was gradually resolved by factors such as the softening of the Earth's climate. In such a way, in the Mesolithic they already started to build small shelters of stone, wood, leaves.
This really changes, with the “Neolithic Revolution”, whence man became sedentary, and acquired agricultural techniques, and began to domesticate some animals, in addition to building houses.
Thus, it was during the Mesolithic that the discovery of fire provided a better life for men, whether to scare away ferocious animals, illuminate the nights, protect from the cold, cook, among others.
In addition, in the Stone Age (union between the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic) man uses stone as the main resource to produce tools and other necessary utensils, which was only modified later, in the "Age of Metals”.
Although the Neolithic is indicated as the period of construction of villages, division of labor (men hunted and women took care of the children) and organization social, it is during the Mesolithic period that man begins to get used to new relationships and the appearance of family nuclei, which were later effected, at the Neolithic Period or Polished Stone Age.
art in the mesolithic
Art in the Mesolithic period is a little different from the previous period, the Paleolithic or Chipped Stone Age, so that an open-air art has already started to emerge, from abstract schemes, with the development of rationalization of man, although many representations of this period were figurative, especially of figures human beings.
