The Stone Age in Denmark (from c. 13.000-2.000 BCE) is the earliest documented period in the Danish history. During the stone age, people used flint for tools and the period marks the first sign of human activity after the ice rebounded.

New discoveries argue that the Stone Age needs to date back to year 16.000 BCE. The new discoveries indicate that Denmark was colonized immediately after the last ice age.

The Mesolithic or paleolithic - also known as the Old Stone Age

In the Old Stone age, humans lived like hunters and gatherers. They were very mobile and often wandered after their prey. The prey would usually be mammoths, saber toothed squirrels, reindeers, aurochs, wolves and beavers. The country was covered in tundra, a low vegetation without trees or bushes, like for example a heather.

Later, the humans began to fish, hunt for seals and wales as well as other food caught in the sea. With time, it became an important part of the diet. Humans began to domesticate animals like wolves and wild hogs. The Maglemosian people, the Kongemose culture and the Ertebølle culture are all part of the Old Stone Age and were some of the first people in Denmark.

The Neolithic, c. 3.900 – 1.800 BCE is the same as the New Stone Age

The stone age culture changed from a hunter/gatherer-society to an early farming culture around 4.300 BCE, when humans started settling down at a permanent residence. This meant the use of new objects, such as ceramic, new types of homes and graves. Humans began to domesticate animals like cattle and pigs, and began growing corn, emmer and wheat.

The tundra was replaced by dense forest of pine trees, birch trees, oak trees, hazel and wood, which was cleared using axes and burned to clear out the earth intended for grass areas, for animals and growing corn. Humans sailed at sea and still hunted for seals, wales and caught fish.

During the Neolithic period, farming cultures emerged in Denmark: The funnel beaker culture, the people of the passage tombs and the corded ware people. The Neolithic is characterized by the megalithic tombs, dolmens, passage tombs and individual graves.

The Danish stone age ended c. 2.000 years BCE with a smooth transition to the Bronze Age.