Mesolithic

The Mesolithic (middle stone age) period in a civilisation's development refers to the period when hunter-gatherer food collecting using stone tools and weapons was the dominant way of life.

• Earlier Paleolithic
• Later Neolithic

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Remains from this period are few and far between, often limited to midden?, rubbish heaps which grew over time. In forested areas of the World, the first signs of deforestation have been found, although this would only start in earnest during the Neolithic, when extra space for farming was needed.