During which time frame did the Mesolithic Europe occur?

The Mesolithic period in Europe is generally considered to span from around 12,000 to 10,000 years ago. This time frame follows the last Ice Age, leading to significant environmental changes and the emergence of new human adaptations. The Mesolithic is characterized by a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, with people relying on a wide variety of resources and exhibiting more complex social structures than in the preceding Paleolithic period.

This era marks a transition between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic; during the Mesolithic, groups began to establish more permanent settlements and engage in early forms of plant and animal management, setting the stage for the agricultural developments that would characterize the Neolithic period. Understanding this time frame is crucial for grasping the evolution of human societies in post-Ice Age Europe and the shifts in technology and subsistence strategies that occurred.