What did archaeologists discover in Star Carr?
What did archaeologists discover in Star Carr?
Highlights among the finds include Britain’s oldest structure, 21 red deer stag skull-caps that may have been headdresses and nearly 200 projectile, or harpoon, points made of red deer antler. These organic materials were preserved due to having been buried in waterlogged peat.
Can I visit Star Carr?
Star Carr must be one of the most unassuming yet archaeologically important sites it is possible to visit in the British Isles. Not only were they hunted in large numbers but they are also responsible for the most famous finds at Star Carr – the antler headdresses (see images lower down).
What was Star Carr used for?
A selection of artefacts from Star Carr, including a barbed antler point used for hunting, bodkins, and scraping tools made from aurochs bone. [Image credit: Vale of Pickering Research Trust] Clearly, too, it was the site of many different activities.
What were the most spectacular finds at Star Carr?
These incredibly rare finds include headdresses made from red deer skulls, thought to be used by shamans in ritual practices, barbed points (harpoons) used in hunting and fishing, the “oldest house in Britain”, and the earliest evidence of carpentry that we have in Europe.
What animals did Star Carr hunt?
The following species have been found at Star Carr:
- Fish: European perch, northern pike.
- Birds: common crane, red-breasted merganser, red-throated diver, great crested grebe, little grebe, Brent goose, common scoter, white-fronted or bean goose.
What happened to the Ozette village?
In the winter of 1969-1970 a storm caused the bank at the Ozette village location to slump, exposing hundreds of perfectly preserved wooden artifacts! Makah oral history told of a “great slide” which buried a portion of Ozette long ago. Archaeologists collaboration with the Tribe proved this oral history correct.
Where is Star Carr Yorkshire?
North Yorkshire
Star Carr is a Mesolithic, or Middle Stone Age, site near Scarborough in North Yorkshire dating to almost 11,000 years ago. The earliest British examples of jewellery, carpentry and a hunting bow were found there.
What did Mesolithic houses look like?
The Mesolithic period was 10,000 BCE to 7,000 BCE. The people were moving around not so much and they built wigwam shaped shelters in groups. The wigwams were built of wooden poles and covered with animal skins and bark.
How many antler Frontlets have been recovered from Star Carr in total?
21 headdresses
One of the most intriguing artefacts found at Star Carr are the antler “frontlets” or headdresses. In the original excavations in 1949-1951, a total of 21 headdresses were found. In our more recent excavations we have found further examples—some well preserved, and others less so.
Why is the Ozette site important?
Ozette has been heralded as one of the most significant archeological sites ever discovered in the Western Hemisphere. The whale-hunting Makahs who lived at Ozette when the slide occurred had an incredible degree of sophistication. Art permeated every facet of life.
How was the Ozette site a gift to the Makah people?
This archaeological dig site was truly a gift from the past because it provided physical evidence that support Makah oral traditions.
What is Star Carr famous for?
Star Carr is a Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) archaeological site, dating to around 9000 BC, just centuries after the end of the last Ice Age. It has become world famous in the archaeological world due to the preservation of artefacts found buried deep in the peat. Life beside the lake wins the prestigious award for 2020.
What is the Star Carr massive online course?
This Massive Online Open Course, presented by FutureLearn on behalf of the Univeristy of York, is free to join. You’ll cover topics such as the excavations at Star Carr, the materials people used there in the Mesolithic, and the techniques used to make sense of the site.
Was Star Carr the luckiest place on Earth?
An artist’s reconstruction of life at Star Carr, where recent excavations have uncovered evidence of a thriving Mesolithic settlement. [Credit: Dominic Andrews] If you had been alive about 11,000 years ago, living at Star Carr, you might well think yourself one of the luckiest people ever born.
Did Mesolithic life exist at Star Carr?
Lakeside living: this plan shows the full extent of early Mesolithic activity revealed so far at Star Carr — an area of activity at least 100 times larger than Clark’s original lakeside platforms. Such a scenario for the early Mesolithic would have been dismissed as fanciful less than a decade ago.
