The Neolithic in the Three Age System

The accumulated archaeological material and its interpretation demonstrate serious problems in the central segment of the Three Age System (the Mesolithic-Neolithic). The combination of classifications built on different bases has caused a discord in the modern Three Age System and in some regional periodisations. Moreover, the concept of the Neolithic has not only become more complex, but also bifurcated. From an archaeological point of view, epochal changes take place both in agricultural and hunter-gatherer communities. From a socio-economic point of view, this means that at this stage the progress of human society, if related to agricultural practices, is not determined by it. In the Late Stone Age, general technological progress ensures the growth of productive forces and population in communities with different economic and social organization. This thesis is a historical conclusion of high order and it is realized in the Three Age System as a universal epoch for the majority of humankind — the Neolithic. Therefore, it is justified to distinguish the Neolithic in the System as a universal stage, irrespective of the economy organization. At the same time, it makes sense to abandon the pottery production as a main feature in the Three Age System.