Maglemosian culture

Maglemosian (c. 9000 – c. 6000 BC) is the name given to a culture of the early Mesolithic period in Northern Europe. In Scandinavia, the culture was succeeded by the Kongemose culture.

Maglemosian culture

Geographical range	Europe
Period	Mesolithic Europe
Dates	c. 9000 – c. 6000 BC
Preceded by	Ahrensburgian Fosna–Hensbacka culture Swiderian culture
Followed by	Kongemose culture

Environment and location

The name originates from the Danish archeological site Maglemose, situated near Gørlev and Høng on western Zealand, southwest of lake Tissø. Here the first settlement of the culture was excavated in 1900, by George Sarauw.^[1] During the following century a long series of similar settlements were excavated from England to Poland and from Skåne in Sweden to northern France.

When the Maglemosian culture flourished, sea levels were much lower than now and what is now mainland Europe and Scandinavia were linked with Britain. The cultural period overlaps the end of the last ice age,^[2] when the ice retreated and the glaciers melted. It was a long process and sea levels in Northern Europe did not reach current levels until almost 6000 BC, by which time they had inundated large territories previously inhabited by Maglemosian people. Therefore, there is hope that the emerging discipline of underwater archaeology may reveal interesting findings related to the Maglemosian culture in the future.

Characteristics

The Maglemosian people lived in forest and wetland environments, using fishing and hunting tools made from wood, bone, and flint microliths. It appears that they had domesticated the dog.^[3] Some may have lived settled lives, but most were nomadic.^{[citation needed]}

Huts made of bark have been preserved, in addition to tools made of flint, bone, and horn. A characteristic feature of the culture is the sharply edged microliths of flintstone, used for spear and arrow heads.^[4] Another notable feature is the leister, a characteristic type of fishing spear, used for gigging.

Scandinavian data table

Era	Timespan	Climatic period	Plantgrowth	Mammal game	Bird game	Locale type
Early Maglemosian culture	9,000 BC – 7,800 BC	Preboreal Epoch	Birch-pine era	aurochs, bison, elk, wild horse	crane, lapwing
Middle Maglemosian culture	7,800 BC – 7,000 BC	Boreal Epoch	Hazel-pine era	aurochs, red deer, roe deer, wild boar, lynx, fox, polecat, badger, wildcat	merganser, grebe, coot, heron, crane, lapwing	Klosterlund
Late Maglemosian culture	7,000 BC – 6,400 BC	Atlantic Epoch	Later linden era	aurochs, red deer, roe deer, wild boar, lynx, fox, polecat, badger, wildcat	merganser, grebe, coot, heron, crane, lapwing

Genetics

Further information: Motala § Archaeogenetics

See also

• Ahrensburg culture
• Deepcar
• Doggerland
• Koelbjerg Man
• Last glacial period
• Georg F.L. Sarauw
• Star Carr
• Thatcham