Mezolitikum

Mezolitikum, the Czech designation for the Mesolithic, is the prehistoric period that follows the Paleolithic and precedes the Neolithic. It spans roughly from 10,000 to 5,000 BCE in Central Europe, though dates vary across regions. This era marks the transition from a predominantly nomadic, hunter‑gatherer lifestyle to more settled forms of subsistence that laid groundwork for later agricultural societies.

Key features of the mezolitikum include the use of microlithic stone tools, bone implements, and the widespread adoption of advanced hunting techniques. Stone toolkits tend to be more refined and specialized than their Paleolithic predecessors, featuring small flint blades, burins, and thumbstones. Evidence of seasonal camps along river valleys and lake shores, such as pottery shards and hearth remains, suggests a shift toward semi‑permanent habitation.

Archaeological sites provide insight into the diet and cultural practices of this period. Isotopic analyses of faunal remains reveal a reliance on diverse resources: fish, small game, wild cereals, and marine mammals. Some sites also show early forms of plant cultivation, indicating experimental subsistence strategies.

The mezolitikum is significant for understanding human adaptation to post‑glacial environments. Its people harnessed new technologies and ecological opportunities, contributing to the population expansion that would eventually support the Neolithic revolution. Major discoveries have been made in regions like Lower Silesia, Bohemia, and Moravia, where well-preserved middens and habitation layers allow detailed reconstruction of lifeways.

In contemporary research, the mezolitikum remains a focus for studying cultural continuity and change during a pivotal moment in human prehistory, bridging the gap between archaic foraging societies and the eventual emergence of agriculture and metallurgy.