Around 14,000 years ago, during a time period known as the Late Glacial period, the Earth was gradually coming out of its last major ice age, an event known as the Last Glacial Maximum, which peaked around 21,000 years ago. During this time, the massive ice sheets that had covered much of North America, Europe, and Asia started to melt. This process resulted in a slow but consistent rise in global temperatures, a gradual increase in sea levels, and significant changes to environments and ecosystems across the globe.
One significant event around this time was the Bølling-Allerød warming, an abrupt climate change event that began around 14,700 years ago. The Bølling-Allerød was a warm and wet period in the high northern latitudes, lasting until about 12,900 years ago.
Another notable event is the beginning of the Clovis culture in North America, which is generally believed to have started around 13,500 years ago. The Clovis people are considered to be among the earliest human inhabitants of the Americas.
Around this time, in various parts of the world, human societies began to adapt to the changing environment. In the Near East, this period corresponds to the start of what archaeologists call the Epipaleolithic period, a time of significant cultural change and adaptation that eventually led to the development of agriculture and the Neolithic Revolution.
However, it’s essential to note that our understanding of the exact timelines and events that happened during this period is continually being refined and developed based on new archaeological and paleo-climatological evidence.