A Complete Timeline of The Mesolithic Period | Early Humans Documentary

Summary

The Mesolithic era, following the Paleolithic, marked a significant shift in human evolution as the world warmed post-ice age. This period, varying in duration across regions, saw Homo sapiens adapt to new environments with the rise of forests and the decline of megafauna. Humans transitioned to a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, utilizing the abundant resources of woodlands and wetlands. Innovations in technology, housing, and art, including the creation of microliths and early pottery, were hallmarks of this age. The Mesolithic concluded with the advent of agriculture, leading to the Neolithic period and the establishment of permanent settlements.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The Mesolithic period, also known as the Middle Stone Age, followed the Paleolithic and marked a time of significant cultural and technological advancements for Homo sapiens.
• 🗺️ The onset of the Mesolithic varied across the globe, with Western Asia entering around 20,000 years ago and Europe around 15,000 years ago.
• 🐘 The end of the last ice age led to the extinction of many megafauna, such as mammoths, due to climate change and overhunting by humans.
• 🌳 The warming climate during the Mesolithic resulted in the spread of forests and wetlands, replacing the open steppes and providing a rich environment for new species to thrive.
• 🏡 Mesolithic humans transitioned to a more settled lifestyle, with some coastal communities establishing permanent settlements and advanced housing structures.
• 🎣 The period saw a shift to a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, with people relying on fishing, hunting, and foraging for sustenance.
• 👥 Social structures remained semi-nomadic, with groups tracking animal migrations for hunting and seasonal movements for resource gathering.
• 🎨 Artistic expression evolved, with a focus on red ochre in cave paintings, the creation of beads and jewelry, and the development of more complex art forms.
• 🛠️ Technological advancements included the creation of microliths, smaller and more delicate stone tools, and the use of materials like birch pitch for chewing gum.
• 🌾 The end of the Mesolithic period is marked by the rise of agriculture, as humans began domesticating crops and animals, leading to the Neolithic era.

Q & A

What is the Mesolithic period also known as?

The Mesolithic period is also known as the middle Stone Age.

What significant change in climate occurred at the end of the last ice age, leading to the Mesolithic period?

The world experienced a period of relative warming after the end of the last ice age, marking the transition into the Mesolithic period.

Why did the mega-fauna species like mammoths and woolly rhinos decline during the Mesolithic period?

The decline of mega-fauna species was due to a combination of changing climate conditions that led to the replacement of grassy plains with forests, and over-hunting by early humans.

How did the lifestyle of humans change as they transitioned from the Paleolithic to the Mesolithic period?

Humans transitioned from nomadic hunting tribes to a more settled hunter-gatherer lifestyle, taking advantage of the abundant woodlands and wetlands for food and resources.

What type of housing did Mesolithic humans build to adapt to their new environment?

Mesolithic humans built more advanced houses using specially carved wooden posts planted into a sunken floor and thatched roofs for protection against the elements.

How did the social structure of Mesolithic communities differ from those of the Paleolithic period?

Mesolithic communities remained semi-nomadic, tracking animal migrations for hunting, but some coastal communities established permanent settlements which were larger than inland ones.

What cultural advancements are associated with the Mesolithic period?

The Mesolithic period saw advancements in art, with a focus on red ochre paintings, the creation of beads and jewelry, and the construction of more complex dwellings and ritual sites.

What is the significance of the 'Caves of Alco goul Harbor' in the context of Mesolithic art?

The Caves of Alco goul Harbor in Catalonia, Spain, contain one of the most fantastic examples of Mesolithic art, featuring red and black ochre paintings of figures and animals.

How did the practice of burying the dead evolve during the Mesolithic period?

During the Mesolithic period, early humans began to bury their dead in designated burial grounds, marking a deepening belief in an afterlife and the use of grave goods to accompany the deceased.

What technological advancements in tool-making are attributed to the Mesolithic period?

The Mesolithic period saw the creation of smaller, more delicately crafted stone tools known as microliths, which were sharper and more effective than the tools from the Paleolithic period.

What is the significance of the end of the Mesolithic period in terms of human cultural evolution?

The end of the Mesolithic period is marked by the rise of agriculture and the domestication of crops and livestock, leading to the establishment of the first farms and the beginning of the Neolithic period.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Introduction to the Mesolithic Period

The Mesolithic, or middle stone age, followed the Paleolithic and marked a significant period of human evolution. It was a time of relative warming after the last ice age, with Homo sapiens being the only human species remaining. The period varied in its start across different regions, with Western Asia entering around 20,000 years ago and Europe around 15,000 years ago. The video promises to explore the lifestyle, culture, and technological advancements of this era, which was relatively short compared to the Paleolithic, due to the lesser archaeological evidence available.

05:01

🌳 Environmental and Cultural Shifts in the Mesolithic

The Mesolithic period saw a transition from the mammoth step to a landscape dominated by forests and wetlands, leading to the extinction of many megafauna. This environmental change was accompanied by cultural shifts, as humans adapted to a more settled lifestyle. They became proficient hunter-gatherers, utilizing the abundant resources of the woodlands and wetlands. The period also saw the emergence of semi-permanent settlements, particularly along coastlines, and the development of more advanced housing structures. The end of the Mesolithic is marked by the rise of agriculture and the establishment of the first farms.

10:02

🎨 Artistic and Spiritual Developments of the Mesolithic

Culturally, the Mesolithic period was marked by significant advancements in art, with a focus on red ochre and geometric designs representing animals. People created beads, jewelry, and cave paintings, with one notable example being the Caves of Alco in Catalonia, Spain. They also crafted a helmet from deer antlers and showed evidence of sculpture and ritual sites, possibly indicating a belief in an afterlife. The period also saw the first instances of pottery, albeit basic, and the use of microliths, smaller and more delicate stone tools than those of the Paleolithic.

15:04

🏡 Technological and Lifestyle Evolution in the Mesolithic

The Mesolithic period was a time of innovation, with the development of microliths, stone scrapers, and knives, which were used for various purposes including clothing and construction. Flint became a primary material for tool-making. The period also saw the first use of chewing gum, made from birch bark pitch. Pottery became more common, with distinct styles emerging in different communities. The Mesolithic ended with the advent of agriculture and the establishment of permanent farms, leading to a shift in human lifestyle and the beginning of the Neolithic period.

Keywords

💡Mesolithic

The Mesolithic, also known as the Middle Stone Age, is a period in the prehistory of human evolution that followed the Paleolithic and preceded the Neolithic. It is characterized by a time of relative warming after the last ice age, marking a significant shift in human culture and technology. The video script discusses how this period saw advancements in human lifestyle, with a focus on Eurasia and North Africa, and how different regions entered the Mesolithic at different times.

💡Homo sapiens

Homo sapiens refers to the species of human that we belong to, which by the Mesolithic period was the only remaining human species on Earth. The script highlights the importance of Homo sapiens as the sole human species during the Mesolithic, indicating that they were the ones to experience and adapt to the cultural and technological changes of the time.

💡Megalafauna

Megalafauna are large, often extinct, animals that inhabited the Earth during various prehistoric periods. The script mentions that by the time the Mesolithic period began, many of these mega-animals had died out, which had a significant impact on the environment and the way humans interacted with it.

💡Hunter-gatherer lifestyle

A hunter-gatherer lifestyle is one where people rely on hunting animals and gathering wild plants for subsistence. The video script describes how the Mesolithic humans practiced this lifestyle, utilizing the abundant resources from woodlands and wetlands, which allowed them to live off the land in a more settled manner than their Paleolithic predecessors.

💡Semi-nomadic

Semi-nomadic refers to a way of life where people have a base settlement but also move around seasonally or regularly for various reasons, such as hunting or gathering. The script explains that Mesolithic humans were semi-nomadic, tracking animal migrations and moving to find the best hunting sites, which was a significant aspect of their lifestyle.

💡Domestication

Domestication is the process by which a population of animals or plants is brought under a level of control by humans, leading to a mutualistic relationship. The video script suggests that the Mesolithic period saw the beginning of animal domestication, which would eventually lead to the establishment of permanent settlements and the end of the Mesolithic era.

💡Microliths

Microliths are small stone tools that were used during the Mesolithic period. They are typically smaller, sharper, and more delicately crafted than the tools from the Paleolithic period. The script describes how these tools were used for various purposes, including cutting and chopping, and how they represent an advancement in tool-making technology.

💡Red ochre

Red ochre is a natural pigment that was used by early humans for various purposes, including art and symbolism. The video script mentions the use of red ochre in Mesolithic art, indicating its cultural significance and its use in painting animals and people on rock faces or caves, as well as for creating beads and other forms of personal adornment.

💡Megalithic structures

Megalithic structures are large constructions made of stones, often used for tombs or monuments. The script refers to the use of megalithic stones in burial sites, suggesting a cultural practice of constructing large tombs for the deceased, which indicates a belief in an afterlife and a respect for the dead.

💡Agriculture

Agriculture is the practice of cultivating plants and animals for food, fiber, and other products. The video script marks the rise of agriculture as the end of the Mesolithic period, highlighting the shift from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to one based on farming, which led to the establishment of the first functional farms and the beginning of the Neolithic period.

💡Pottery

Pottery refers to the process of making objects from clay that are then fired at high temperatures. The script describes how some Mesolithic cultures began to produce pottery, which was used for storing food, water, or tools. This development in pottery-making indicates a progression in technology and a shift towards more permanent settlements.

Highlights

The Mesolithic period, also known as the Middle Stone Age, followed the Paleolithic and marked a time of significant cultural and technological advancements.

The world entered a period of relative warming after the last ice age, leading to the end of the Megafauna era.

Homo sapiens were the only human species remaining by the Mesolithic, indicating a shift in the human evolutionary landscape.

The Mesolithic period varied in start times across different regions, with Western Asia entering around 20,000 years ago and Europe around 15,000 years ago.

Life during the Mesolithic was characterized by a shift from the harsh conditions of the Paleolithic to a more hospitable, forested environment.

Mesolithic humans adopted a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, taking advantage of the new woodlands and wetlands for food and resources.

Some Mesolithic communities established permanent settlements, especially along coastlines, marking a transition from complete nomadism.

Mesolithic humans developed more advanced housing, using carved wooden posts and thatched roofs for better shelter.

The end of the Mesolithic period is marked by the rise of agriculture and the establishment of the first farms.

Mesolithic art saw a significant shift, with a focus on red ochre and geometric outlines of animals, indicating a rich cultural expression.

The discovery of the 'Ein sacur lovers' sculpture near Bethlehem, Palestine, provides insight into Mesolithic domestic life and artistic skill.

Megalithic structures and the practice of burying the dead in designated graveyards suggest a belief in an afterlife during the Mesolithic.

The use of microliths, smaller and more delicate stone tools, indicates a technological advancement in tool-making.

Mesolithic people were the first to utilize chewing gum, made from birch tree pitch, showcasing their resourcefulness and creativity.

Pottery production began in the Mesolithic, with early pots being used for storage and showing intentional design.

The Mesolithic period ended as humans mastered crop and livestock domestication, leading to the Neolithic period and a new way of life.

Transcripts

following on from the Paleolithic the

vast expanse of time that encircled most

of human evolution throughout the pine

Epoch the world was plunged into a

period of relative warming after the end

of the last ice age known as the

Mesolithic or middle

stoneage the megaphon animals of the

place to scene had all but died out as

the world entered the Mesolithic a

period of time that saw great

advancements in human culture and

Technology by the time the Mesolithic

rolled around the only species of human

left on the globe was Homo sapiens our

very own

species it is important to note however

that different parts of the world

entered the Mesolithic period at

different

times almost all that we know about this

time period focuses on sites discovered

around Eurasia and North

Africa Western Asia is known to have

entered the Mesolithic around 20,000

years ago and progressed to the

Neolithic around 10,000 years ago

European cultures on the other hand are

known to have entered the Mesolithic

15,000 years ago and entered the

Neolithic just 5,000 years

ago in today's video we will be

exploring the facts of the Mesolithic

examining what life was like for early

humans throughout this very short time

span as the time period was much much

thinner and due to the fact we don't

know as much about the Mesolithic as we

do the Paleolithic from an

archaeological standpoint this video

will be slightly shorter than the last

one we will however go into detail about

all aspects of the period the culture

technology and lifestyles of the people

who called this time

home sit back and relax as we take you

on a tour through time to experience the

Mesolithic

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subscription as the world left the

Paleolithic the world began to warm up

Earth's orientation towards the sun had

slightly shifted in the Millennia prior

to the official end of the reign of

mammoths and Cave Bears and as a result

the huge glaciers that covered the

Northern Hemisphere had begun to retreat

resulting in a warmer climate

this SP disaster for the mammoth step

the planet's largest continuous land

biome known to date the dramatic Rolling

Hills and open Skies that allow giant

herbivores such as woolly rhinos and

woolly mammoths to

evolve as the climate of Eurasia warmed

the glaciers Tha and more rainfall

covered the land that was once covered

in grassy

Plains in place of the step a variety of

habitats associated with wetter more

temperate conditions started to

evolve marshes and lakes started to

permeate the landscape shrouded in Reed

beds and

wetlands much of the wide open expanses

of the mammoth step were replaced with

Lush forests a move that may have helped

kill off the last of the steps

megap as the planes they relied on were

replaced by wood land the mammoths could

no longer cope the world was changing in

a way that was not weighted in their

favor this combined with over hunting

from early humans is thought to have

been the reason so many megaphon species

died out or had begun to die out by the

start of the

Mesolithic so as the world progressed

into the Mesolithic it would have become

much more recognizable ible as the one

we live in today The Verdant green

Woodlands covering much of Mainland

Europe evolved during this time allowing

familiar creatures such as deer rodents

and woodland birds to

thrive the humans that had once

struggled to survive the harsh winters

of the open Mammoth step were plunged

into a world that in comparison seemed

to cradle them life in the warm Forest

almost void of super Predators was

undoubtedly a preferable life to many of

the forthcoming generations of the

Mesolithic as human beings boldly

progressed from the nomadic hunting

tribes of the Paleolithic to the warm

forests of the Mesolithic they underwent

a series of important lifestyle changes

that would impact human behavior for

Millennia to

follow the the abundance of woodlands

and wetlands provided these people with

ample resources to practice a fully

fledged hunter gatherer lifestyle living

not only from organized tribal hunting

but on the fruits and nuts of the forest

which were collected and stored at their

places of

residence a group of Mesolithic Hunters

would have been just as much at home

spearing fish from the rivers of Europe

as they would chasing deer through the

forest

or collecting apples and pears from the

Trees of the

woodlands despite the Simplicity of

their new found Lifestyles their social

structures and hierarchical systems

amidst the dwellings of Mesolithic

humans were not particularly

complex these people remained

semi-nomadic and were able to track the

movements of animals on their migrations

in order to find the best hunting sites

year round

some communities specifically along

coastlines did manage to plant down the

first permanent settlements which were

typically larger than the ones found

Inland or by fresh

water it is thought that some Mesolithic

Hunters would Branch off from these

larger Coastal settlements to seasonally

hunt Inland finding food to keep their

communities thriving over the

winter people would also leave the

settlements to find Partners likely in

order to keep the genan pool diverse to

prevent any conditions associated with

interbreeding young adults when ready to

Embark would leave their settlements in

order to join another band of semi

Nomads contributing their effort to jobs

around the camp as they went it is

thought that some of these people were

able to travel huge distances across

Eurasia

it is around the Mesolithic that humans

started to build more advanced houses to

keep them sheltered against the

elements unlike the simple Huts that

were propped up with sticks and animal

hides in the Paleolithic these people

had begun to utilize specially carved

wooden posts which were planted into a

sunken

floor a thatched roof most often made

from straw or other plant matter mixed

with mud

protected the inhabitants from

rain the end of the Mesolithic is marked

by the rise of Agriculture and it is

thought that some of the permanent

settlements set up with Advanced housing

such as these would have possibly been

the sites where the first Farms were

established throughout the Mesolithic

humans had begun a long and convoluted

trial and error process into

domesticating animals something that is

thought to have begun in these early

Eurasian

settlements culture also came Leaps and

Bounds throughout the

Mesolithic in the Paleolithic nomadic

tribes used ogres to paint animals and

people on the sides of cave walls a

practice that continued and developed

into the

Mesolithic art from the Mesolithic

period tends to focus more heavily on

the use of red ochres which perhaps bore

a special significance or symbolism in

these early

communities simple geometric outlines of

the animals that shared the land with

these groups of people were painted on

the walls of rock faces or caves with

the red painted shapes of deer wolves

and bears present on Mesolithic

rocks these people were not restricted

to cave painting however

they created beads out of stone and

other natural matter and painted these

stones in the same red ochre used to

paint their walls they carved puncture

marks into the shells and Teeth of

animals and wore them as

jewelry one Cavite from the Mesolithic

in what is now Catalonia Spain known as

the caves of Alco goul Harbor one of the

most fantastic examples of Mesolithic

art in existence

distance the cave is a basic Rock

shelter on the northeastern coastlines

of the country close to the border with

France on the walls of the cave in red

and black ochre have been imprinted the

outlines of 45

figures various events can be seen

taking place across the work but the

most iconic and well represented is a

great dance in the middle of the

artwork nine of of the 45 figures who

are all perceived to be women are shown

dancing around what archaeologists have

interpreted as a smaller male figure it

is thought that it might represent some

sort of ancient mating

ritual above the figures lie the

geometric outlines of Spanish animals

which can be interpreted as deer boar

cows and

ibexes perhaps the most exciting

creative find from the Mesolithic is a

basic Helmet or headdress constructed

from the antlers of a red

deer the Garment features two evenly

sized holes at the Forefront of the

headdress with two Spike antlers

branching out to the

sky this object was found at Star Car

near the seaside town of scarra in North

Yorkshire

UK there is also also substantial

evidence of sculpture carving the most

well-known Mesolithic sculpture found

near Bethlehem Palestine is known as the

Ein sacur lovers and is believed to show

two figures in a loving

embrace it is made out of carved calside

Stone and is thought to have been a

domestic decoration that was put on

display in a

settlement on a larger scale there is

also evidence for ritually constructed

sites of astronomical significance areas

where megaliths were arranged to mirror

the phases of the moon acting is a basic

calendar some of these sites are similar

in form to the world famous Heritage

sight Stone Henge in Southern

England the ritual belief in an

afterlife something that was first

established in the middle Paleolithic

was deepened in the Mesolithic

early humans across Eurasia had begun to

bury their dead in designated burial

grounds Proto graveyards

even these burials were basic and Graves

were typically shallow and there is even

some evidence of

cremation some of the Dead were ritually

buried with grave Goods possibly

belongings they treasured in their

mortal lives these include small figures

of animals and humans symbolic and

perhaps Comfort possessions as well as

jewelry and stone

tools some humans in the Mesolithic were

even buried in large tombs burial sites

made from megalithic stones that were

carved and structured to resemble a

large walk-in

grave many of the stone tools that were

crafted throughout the Mesolithic are

typically much smaller in size and more

delicately crafted than the larger

bulkier hand axes of the

Paleolithic these smaller stone tools

were known as microliths and were often

sharper and more effective than the

tools that preceded

them still at sites discovered in what

are today the countries of Ireland and

Portugal the people seem to have been

using larger microlithic stone tools

still delicately crafted but more

similar in size to those from the

Paleolithic people from the Mesolithic

period used a variety of stone scrapers

Choppers and basic knives in order to

cut and chop its

substances scrapers were likely used to

turn animal hides into Basic clothing

the same material that would be used to

line the temporary tents of hunter

gatherer campsites Flint became a staple

of tool structure around this time and

it was typically harvested in bulk taken

back to camps where people could fashion

their Tools in their

Huts amongst the stone tools collected

above archaeologists have also

discovered stone buens similar to those

used by early humans in the

Paleolithic these tools were used for

carving patterns or building struct

structures into wood and Bone acting as

a chisel likee object in either art or

construction Stone byes also became more

common place used as sharp knives with a

blade that ran down the

middle it may come as a surprise to find

out that people from the Mesolithic were

the first to utilize chewing gum crafted

from the pitch found within the bark of

birch

trees this gum may have been used purely

for Taste purposes as it is unlikely

that it was

swallowed one piece of chewed gum that

was found in southern Denmark from the

end of the Mesolithic has even left

traces of the chew's last meal the

individual was a woman who prior to

chewing the Birch gum enjoyed a meal of

duck meat and

hazelnuts between 9,000 and 5,000 years

AO go some Mesolithic cultures

specifically those centered around

Europe Siberia and North Africa started

to produce

Pottery many of the pots discovered from

the Mesolithic are crude and basic in

their designs often asymmetrical and

patchy still they do show evidence of

intentional pottery making with a flared

rim to the opening and an intentionally

designed base to ensure the pot did not

fall over individual Styles can be seen

in each of these pot making

communities these pods were likely used

to store dried foods water or household

tools the Mesolithic was a relatively

short period in the history of human

evolution lasting a mere 10,000

years the entry point into the following

Neolithic period is marked not by

geographical changes but by cultural

changes in the lifestyles of the humans

who lived at this

time the Mesolithic came to an end when

communities across the world started

mastering the domestication of crops and

livestock giving way to the world's

first constantly functional

Farms humans without the need to hunt

opted to stay in the same areas where

the soil was first fertile and they were

close to a reliable water

source Mesolithic communities soon

became marginalized by these new

technological Revelations and soon their

way of life had been

converted the Neolithic however was not

without its challenges and the world

would soon be forever changed with the

Advent of these early humans embracing

modern ways of

living