Sticks, Stones and Bones. Recent Early Mesolithic finds from Lolland, Denmark

This volume brings together twenty peer-reviewed studies honouring the scholarly career of Berit V. Eriksen, whose research has been highly influential in the study of Late Palaeolithic and Mesolithic hunter-gatherers in central Europe and southern Scandinavia. The contributions focus on the Late Glacial and Early Holocene, a time marked by profound environmental, social, and technological transformations that reshaped hunter-gatherer lifeways. Reflecting both Eriksen’s research interests and current debates in the field, the contributions address a broad range of themes in hunter-gatherer research. These include lithic technology and raw material procurement, long-distance connections and exotic materials, subsistence strategies, burial practices, and aesthetic expression. Several contributions emphasise methodological and theoretical innovation, employing approaches such as geophysical survey, palynology, isotopic analyses, and taphonomic studies to refine chronologies, reconstruct past environments and human-environmental interactions. Geographically, the volume spans across northern Germany, Denmark, southern Scandinavia, the Baltic region, and adjacent areas, offering case studies that illuminate both regional variability and wider patterns of transition. Particular attention is given to processes of change and continuity, including the emergence of Mesolithic lifeways, shifting relationships between humans, animals, and environments, and the complex responses of hunter-gatherer societies to climatic and ecological challenges. Together, the contributions question linear narratives of cultural development and highlight the diversity and dynamism of Late Palaeolithic and Mesolithic worlds. Aimed at researchers, students, and readers with an interest in early prehistory, this volume presents new data, innovative interpretations, and critical reflections that advance our understanding of hunter-gatherer societies at the end of the Ice Age and the beginning of the Holocene, while celebrating Berit V. Eriksen’s lasting impact on the discipline.