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Started in 1973 in Warsaw, on the initiative of Stefan K. Kozłowski, the International Conferences on the Mesolithic in Europe have immediately acquired considerable scientific importance, contributing to spreading and reinforcing studies on this period and shaping its deserved historical dignity. Since then, every five years, the International Conference on Mesolithic in Europe gathers scholars from the most prestigious research centres and laboratories working in this field over the world .

Except for the 8th edition, the publication of the proceedings regularly followed the conference and concurred to update the state of the art of the research on this period, marking the evolution of the perception of the Mesolithic and its consolidation as a period with an own distinctive identity.

The last edition was held in Toulouse.  Despite an excellent organisation, unfortunately Toulouse conference took place online due to the pandemic restrictions. Our wish is to welcome the Mesolithic community again in person for the 11th edition of the Conference which will be held Ferrara (and for the fist time in Italy!) aiming to fit into the dynamic perspective that has always characterised the studies on the European Mesolithic.

Map of previous International Conference on the Mesolithic in Europe.

List of the previous editions: 

1st Conference: Warsaw, Poland (7-12 May 1973)

Proceedings: Kozłowski, S. K., Ed. (1973). The Mesolithic in Europe. Papers read at the International Archaeological Symposium on the Mesolithic in Europe. Warsaw, May 7-12, 1973. Warsaw: Warsaw University Press.

2nd Conference: Potsdam, Germany (3-8 April 1978)

Proceedings: Gramsch, B., Ed. (1981). Mesolithikum in Europa: 2. internationales Symposium, Potsdam, 3. bis 8. April 1978. Berlin: Veröffentlichungen des Museums für Ur- und Frühgeschichte Potsdam 14/15.

3rd Conference: Edinburgh, Scotland (31 March-6 April 1985)

Proceedings: Bonsall, C., Ed. (1989). The Mesolithic in Europe. Papers Presented at the Third International Symposium, Edinburgh, 1985. Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers Ltd.

4th Conference: Leuven, Belgium (17-23 September 1990)

Proceedings: Vermeersch, P. M. and Van Peer, P., Eds. (1990). Contributions to the Mesolithic in Europe. Papers Presented at the Fourth International Symposium, The Mesolithic in Europe, Leuven 1990. Leuven: Studia Praehistorica Belgica 5.

5th Conference: Grenoble, France (18-23 September 1995)

Proceedings: Thévenin, A., Ed. (1999). L'Europe des derniers chasseurs: Épipaléolithique et Mésolithique. Peuplement et paléoenvironnement de l'Épipaléolithique et du Mésolithique. Actes du 5e colloque international UISPP, Commission XII. Grenoble, 18-23 septembre 1995. Paris: Éditions du CTHS.

6th Conference: Stockholm, Sweden (4-8 September 2000)

Proceedings: Larsson, L., Kindgren, H., Knutson, K., Loeffler, D. and Åkerlund, A., Eds. (2003). Mesolithic on the Move: Papers presented at the sixth international conference on the Mesolithic in Europe, Stockholm 2000. Oxford: Oxbow Books Ltd.

7th Conference: Belfast, Northern Ireland (29 August-2 September 2005)

Proceedings:McCartan, S., Schulting, R., Warren, G. and Woodman, P., Eds. (2009). Mesolithic Horizons. Papers presented at the Seventh International Conference on the Mesolithic in Europe, Belfast 2005. Oxford: Oxbow Books Ltd. 

8th Conference: Santander, Spain (13-17 September 2010)

Unpublished.

9th Conference, Belgrade, Serbia (14-18 September 2015)

Proceedings: Borić, D., Antonović, D. and Mihailović, B., Eds. (2021). Foraging Assemblages. Belgrade and New York: Serbian Archaeological Society and The Italian Academy for Advanced Studies in America, Columbia University.

10th Conference, Toulouse, France (7-11 September 2020)

Proceedings: Open Archaeology. Perrin, T., Marquebielle, B., Philibert, S., and Valdeyron, N., Eds. (2022). Special Issue Published in Cooperation with Meso’2020 – Tenth International Conference on the Mesolithic in Europe.