Mesolithic is ... What is remarkable about the Mesolithic period

The time interval between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic is called the Mesolithic period. It lasted from 15000 BC. E. Before 6000 BC. E. Its beginning is associated with the completion of the Ice Age. At that time, the megafauna disappeared, so the culture of the European region has changed significantly. In this article we consider the meaning of the word Mesolithic, as well as the characteristics of this era.

Term meaning

Literally translated from the ancient Greek "Mesolithic" means "medium" and "stone". In other words, the "middle stone". The concept denotes the era between the Neolithic and the Paleolithic. For some regions, scientists use a similar term - epipaleolitis.

The beginning of the Mesolithic period

As already mentioned above, the Mesolithic originates at the end of the glacial period. On our planet, a climate that is customary for man, is formed, similar to the modern flora and fauna. In the Mesolithic Age, the man went far to the north. This means that he mastered the territory of modern Scotland, the Baltic and even some parts of the coast of the Arctic Ocean.

An important achievement at this time, scientists believe the invention of arrows and onions, as well as the taming of wild animals. Finally, a man has found a faithful and faithful friend - a dog. He used it during hunting and to protect the home. Findings relating to this era indicate that a man of that time used composite tools from silicon. Archaeologists at the excavations found a lot of arrowheads. With the help of a bow, a man began to hunt not only for large and small wild animals, but also for birds. Onion was especially revered by an ancient man, he adorned it with fangs of animals.

Social life

Mesolithic - this is the era when social relations develop. It manifests itself in the development of articulate speech, the creation of general rules of behavior, prescriptions that acquired the status of traditions and taboos.

Mesolithic - this is the time when various forms of violence are spread, related to the violation of the rules of conduct. Then there are punishments. Violators are forced into various forms of work, sometimes they were punished.

Art

The spiritual world of the man of the Mesolithic age gave modern mankind various and amazing monuments of art. They are represented almost in the same species as in the Paleolithic:

• Rock paintings;
• Applied art;
• Small plastic.

Bright Paleolithic realism gave way to schematic graphics. The image of a person takes the form of a sign or symbol. Ornament becomes more complicated. They are an ancient man decorates household objects, cave stories are formed into groups. Traditionally they are devoted to hunting or military skirmishes.

One such image contains a whole story about the event, characterized by emotional coloration and dynamism.

The novelty in the fine arts in the Mesolithic period is the numerous images of man. It should be noted that in the Paleolithic man depicted as individual figures of hunters.

Mesolithic rock paintings can be found in Spain and North Africa. But not all of them belong to this era.

Mesolithic - this is the period when a person turns to applied art. It is widely represented by the decoration of hunting objects with ornaments. The main elements and motives are considered to be various lines, strokes, grids and zigzags. The lines covered the arms of various tools, which were made of bones, wood and other materials.

Mesolithic is the time of shallow plasticity. To her archaeologists refer to an engraving pebble, which is often found in excavations on Western European sites near caves. These drawings on the stones have an ornamental character in the form of spots, crosses, stripes, stars and so on. There is an opinion that such stones were used in the performance of magical rites. Perhaps they were considered the receptacle of the soul of an ancient man.

The burial rite

At this time, there are individual individual funerals that occur near the parking. Thus, for example, in the Baikal region near the Angara, a pair of burial places for the mother and infant was found. The ground pit was covered with stone tiles. The mother's skeleton lay on her side and embraced the child. Before burial their bodies were painted with ocher. The mother's head was separated from the skeleton and buried in a separate depression.

In the chest of the woman and the sacral vertebrae, the researchers found the arrowheads. This suggests that a woman with a child died from the invasion of another tribe.

New knowledge

Mesolithic is the time of accumulation of new knowledge about nature. Man continues to develop. He improves skills that help him survive. The man learned about the peculiarities of the forage area, about the habits of animals, certain properties of plants, and also of natural minerals. The ancient man begins to treat his fellow tribesman of the injuries that he received during the hunt. Now not all abscesses, bites and dislocations are deadly. In addition, the Mesolithic is the time of the first surgical operations. Man has learned to remove teeth and amputate limbs. During this period, the tactics of hunting change, as the herds of large animals disappear.

Conclusion

Our article has come to an end. We once again want to emphasize that the Mesolithic is a century that is important in the history of mankind. At this time, empty regions are populated, which are freed from the ice cover. Different cultural strata begin to interact with each other. At this time, the nature and pace of the formation of various spheres of human activity were very specific. We can say that in the era of the Mesolithic people have made a huge step forward in their development.