MESO2025 - Session 6. Settlements and dwellings

Coordinated by Daniel Groß and Nicky Milner

Abstract

This session delves into the details of Mesolithic settlement patterns and dwellings through intrasite analysis. Recent archaeological excavations and methodological advancements have broadened our understanding on Mesolithic dwellings, prompting a reevaluation of traditional interpretations and unveiling fresh insights into prehistoric lifeways. Increasingly, evidence is contesting the model of fully mobile lifestyles and seasonal occupation patterns, and thus presents unique challenges and opportunities for understanding settlement organisation at a micro-scale level.

Key areas of discussion include the latest developments in the field, such as highresolution excavation techniques, advanced dating methods, and innovative scientific and analytical approaches. By zooming in on individual settlement sites, we aim to unravel the complexities of Mesolithic settlements and dwelling structures, including their architectural features, spatial organisation, and functional aspects. Moreover, we will critically examine the sources of evidence, considering the reliability and interpretative implications of archaeological data, stratigraphic sequences, and environmental proxies.

Through a synthesis of interdisciplinary perspectives and case studies from diverse geographic regions, this session seeks to address fundamental questions regarding Mesolithic settlement patterns and the socio-economic dynamics that were the foundation of these communities. We want to discuss the intertwinement of artefacts, constructions, elusive features and activities and also welcome theoretical and methodological studies that advance our knowledge of Mesolithic lifeways and prehistoric settlement organisation on an intrasite level.