Why is the Mesolithic Period known as the Period of Transition?

By Balaji

Updated on: February 17th, 2023

The Mesolithic Period is known as the period of transition because important developments, such as the production of stone tools and the early domestication of animals, were still in their infancy and did not fully develop until the beginning of the Neolithic era. The Mesolithic period refers to the last phase of hunter-gatherer societies in Europe and Western Asia.

Table of content

1. Reason for calling the Mesolithic Period a Period of Transition
2. Why is the Mesolithic Period known as the Period of Transition?

Reason for calling the Mesolithic Period a Period of Transition

The Middle Stone Age, sometimes referred to as the Mesolithic, was the second stage of the Stone Age. First, the microliths characteristic of this period (small blade-like stone tools) appeared. There was a transitional period known as the Mesolithic between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic. In addition to harvesting food by hunting, fishing, and collecting, humans tamed animals at this time.

The terms Paleolithic and Neolithic were first used by John Lubbock in his 1865 book Prehistoric Times.
As a bridging category, Hodder Westropp added a new category called Mesolithic in 1866.
The second stage of the Stone Age was known as the Middle Stone Age, or Mesolithic.
What distinguishes it from the other periods is the utilization of microliths.
The Mesolithic Period lasted from the end of the Last Glacial Maximum until the beginning of the Neolithic Revolution.

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