The Mesolithic cultures:

(i) The Mesolithic cultures belong to the Mesolithic stage or the Middle Stone Age. It was the transitional phase between the Palaeolithic and the Neolithic Ages.

(ii) It is assumed that the Mesolithic Age in Indian subcontinent began around 10000 B.C.

(iii) During this period the climate became warm due to increase in temperature. These changes further resulted in melting of ice of the earlier period and brought about changes in flora and fauna.

(iv) The main tools they used are called the Microliths. These tools were very small in size varying in length from 1 to 8 centimetres. These tools were made out of chipped or flaked pieces. Some of these tools have geometric forms such as triangles, lunates and trapezes. These tools could be tied or fixed in other objects to form an arrow or a spear.

(v) The Mesolithic cultures covered almost the entire India from north to south and east to west.

(vi) Some of the important sites of this culture include Langhnaj (Gujarat), Bhimbetka (M.P.) Chopani Mando (U.P.), Birbhanpur (W.B.), Sanganakallu (Karnataka) and Tuticorin (Tamil Nadu).

(vii) Now, man started fishing and domestication of animals, although he was still in hunting - gathering stage. Fishing and fowling became important. The faunal remains of cattle, sheep, goat, buffalo, pig, rat, bison, hippo, dog, fox, lizard, tortoise and fish etc. have been found from different Mesolithic sites.