Neolithic Age
Chapter – 3
- The end of the Pleistocene epoch marked the conclusion of the ice ages and the beginning of the Holocene epoch, characterized by warmer climatic conditions.
- Environmental changes in the post-pleistocene era affected traditional methods of food procurement, with some animals, like reindeer, becoming scarce.
- Melting ice released large amounts of Earth’s water, causing a rise in ocean and sea levels, submerging coastal and low-lying areas while previously ice-covered regions became habitable.
- Frozen rivers and streams melted, providing new resources such as seafood and river fish.
- In temperate and tropical zones, increased humidity and wetter conditions led to the growth of dense forests and the transformation of dry areas into grasslands.
- Despite climatic changes, early humans had learned to adapt to rapid environmental shifts during the Upper Paleolithic.
- The post-glacial epoch began 12,000 years ago (or 12,000 BP), marking the decline of the Magdalenian culture in Europe.
- The post-pleistocene period is often associated with a decline in European cultures, referred to as the Mesolithic, characterized by hunting and food gathering.
- The term Mesolithic has been debated; some scholars view it as a decline in European societies, while others consider it an attempt to adapt to post-pleistocene changes.
- New research reveals significant innovations in Mesolithic cultures, particularly in Scandinavia and North Europe, which showed more adaptive strategies in hunting and food gathering.