Sauveterrian

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Infobox archaeological culture

|name = Sauveterrian

|map =

|mapalt =

|altnames = Sauveterrian Culture

|horizon =

|region = France, Europe

|period = Mesolithic

|dates = 8500 to 6500 years BP

|typesite = Sauveterre-la-Lémance

|majorsites =

|extra =

|precededby = Azilian

|followedby = Neolithic Europe

}}

{{Stone Age}}

The Sauveterrian is the name for an archaeological culture of the European Mesolithic which flourished around 8500 to 6500 years BP. The name is derived from the type site of Sauveterre-la-Lémance in the French {{lang|fr|département}} of Lot-et-Garonne.

It extended through large parts of western and central Europe. Characteristic artefacts include geometric microliths and backed points on micro-blades. Woodworking tools are notably missing from Sauveterrian assemblages. There is evidence for ritual burial.{{cite web|url=https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00498849/document | title =Sauveterrien et Sauveterriano :unité ou diversité du premier mésolithique en France méridionale et en Italie du nord | publisher = Université de Toulouse |date= |author=Nicolas Valdeyron |accessdate= January 22, 2019 }}{{cite web|url=http://eacharya.inflibnet.ac.in/data-server/eacharya-documents/5717528c8ae36ce69422587d_INFIEP_304/122/ET/304-122-ET-V1-S1__file1.pdf | title =Mesolithic Culture of Europe | publisher = e-Acharya INFLIBNET |date= |author= |accessdate= January 22, 2019 }}