nature science history

Europe at the End of the Ice Age

This is what Europe looked like at the end of the last ice age (cc. 10,000 BC). It was even more united than today, wasn’t it? Anyway, the last glacial period occurred from the end of the Eemian interglacial to the end of the Younger Dryas, encompassing the period c. 110,000 – c. 11,700 years ago.

This most recent glacial period is part of a larger pattern of glacial and interglacial periods known as the Quaternary glaciation extending from c. 2,588,000 years ago to present.

europe at the end of the ice age

The same thing with some modern points of reference:

europe at the end of the ice age 2

One of the most striking differences on the map compared to today’s Europe is the presence of Doggerland, a region of land that connected Britain and continental Europe during the last ice age. It was inhabited by Mesolithic people who hunted, fished and gathered in its diverse landscapes.

As the climate warmed, Doggerland was gradually submerged by rising sea levels until it finally disappeared around 8,000 years ago when it was flooded by a devastating tsunami. With the use of seismic data and artifacts, archaeologists and paleontologists are now reconstructing its ancient landscape and the life of the people who lived there. You can read more about this in our article about Doggerland and its rediscovery.

Sources: Wikipedia, Reddit

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Written by Tamás Varga
A sociologist and English major by degree, I've worked in the area of civil society & human rights and have been blogging in the fields of travel, nature & science for over 20 years.
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