Mesolithic

Usually refers specifically to a period of cultural development in Europe that began as early as 10,000 BCE, after the end of the Pleistocene Epoch when glaciation began to retreat, and lasted until about 2,700 BCE. The term is also sometimes used generally for a period associated with the transitional phase between Paleolithic and Neolithic cultures in any given area. Mesolithic culture overlaps with Paleolithic and Neolithic cultures, and is characterized by great environmental and cultural change and diverse local adaptations to special environments. The period is typically marked by the production of microliths that were mounted on shafts, bone, antler, wooden tools, and an occasional polished stone tool. Surviving artistic output includes carvings and cave paintings with relatively sophisticated depictions of human and animal forms.