The Mesolithic remains (8,000–6,000 BCE) from the Sperlinga Shelter of San Basilio represent one of the rarest and most evocative examples of settlement patterns in high-altitude areas. The Mesolithic corresponds to the chronological and cultural period between the end of the last Würm glaciation (approximately 10,000 years ago), which marked the close of the Pleistocene, and the arrival of the profound social, economic and cultural transformations brought about by the Neolithic. The climatic improvement that began towards the end of the Late Glacial period reached its peak during the Early Holocene. During the Preboreal phase (c.10,000–8,700 years ago), southern Europe experienced a mild-dry climate. This was followed by the Boreal phase, characterised by hot and dry conditions that lasted for around a thousand years (c. 8,700–7,500 years ago). Some 7,500 years ago, during the so-called Atlantic phase, the hot climate, accompanied by increased humidity, aided the formation of woodland canopies and broadleaf forests. The Mesolithic material culture displayed in Showcase 1 is represented by characteristic Sicilian lithic assemblages from this period. These include tools and weapons used in everyday activities (projectile points, blades, etc.)