The Mesolithic period (approximately 10,000 - 5000 years ago), from the end of the last Ice Age to the beginnings of agriculture, is now seen as critical in our understanding of all later developments - both in human society and in the natural world - throughout prehistoric northern Europe. The Scottish landscape and its plants and animals underwent dramatic change, a change experienced by the first human inhabitants - the Mesolithic hunters, fishers and gatherers.

This volume of collected papers originated in a ground-breaking international conference held in Edinburgh in November 1999, when leading experts in the field of Mesolithic and related studies gathered at the Royal Museum to present and discuss current knowledge in Scotland, and the rest of the UK and Ireland, informed by insights into recent developments in Denmark, Norway, Poland and Sweden. The conference was organised by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, in association with the Prehistory Society and National Museums Scotland. 

The studies presented here provide an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of the exciting and expanding field of Mesolithic research. While the prime focus is on Scotland at this period - its environment as well as its archaeology - the volume also contains major contributions on the Mesolithic elsewhere in the UK and Ireland and has the additional benefit of perspectives from eminent scholars from northern Europe.