| Alternative names | Para-Neolithic, Ceramic Mesolithic, Pottery-Mesolithic, Late Mesolithic, Forest Neolithic |
|---|---|
| Geographical range | Scandinavia, north and north-eastern Europe |
| Period | 5000/4000–3200/2700 BCE |
| Characteristics | Hunter-gatherer economy, pottery |
| Preceded by | Mesolithic |
| Followed by | Neolithic |
The Subneolithic is an archaeological period sometimes used to distinguish cultures that are transitional between the Mesolithic and the Neolithic. Subneolithic societies typically adopted some secondary elements of the Neolithic package (such as pottery), but retained economies based on hunting and gathering and fishing instead of agriculture. For the most part they were sedentary. The Subneolithic dates to the period 5000/4000–3200/2700 BCE in Scandinavia, north and north-eastern Europe.