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WEBINAR: Update on Developments at Starr Carr April 14, 2021 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Zoom

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We are delighted that Dr Ben Elliot and Dr Aimee Little have agreed to deliver an update on developments at the Starr Carr Site and our understanding of the Mesolithic period on Wednesday 14th of April at 19.30 by Zoom. The BDS has a long relationship with the researchers in the provision of deer antler for the research team.

This will be a leading-edge discussion with some of the latest research revealed about a major Yorkshire Historical site. Starr Carr has long been fascinating for the use of reconstructive archaeology.

Ask a Question

If you would like to ask a question in advance please email info@bds.org.uk

The event will be hosted on Zoom and live-streamed to the BDS YouTube channel.

We do have limited places available for anyone who would like to sit-in on the live event and these places can be booked in advance by emailing info@bds.org.uk
Please note booking closes on the 9th of April 2021.

Star Carr is a Mesolithic archaeological site in North Yorkshire, England. It is around five miles south of Scarborough. It is generally regarded as the most important and informative Mesolithic site in Great Britain

The site dates from 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.

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.

The people hunted red deer, among other animals, and made headdresses from their antlers. Star Carr was very important in helping archaeologists understand the Mesolithic period better and provides a vivid insight into several aspects of life at that time.

Find out more at:

http://www.starcarr.com/

 

Dr Elliott writes

The Contribution of the British Deer Society  to Understanding the Mesolithic in Britain and Beyond

The voluntary donations of deer materials, made by British Deer Society members towards experimental research projects, have made a tangible impact on our understanding of Mesolithic archaeology. In this talk, we will trace the deer materials donated by BDS members through the experimental process, and reflect on what these experiments have taught us about the life during the Mesolithic period. Heads, antlers and hides gifted to researchers through the BDS have all been used at the cutting-edge of Mesolithic research, to gain insights into the making and use of hunting weapons, ceremonial dress, container technologies and wood-working tools. These insights have helped build towards wider understandings of the relationships between different communities of people living around Europe during the Mesolithic, and the specific ways in which new ideas and technologies were shared amongst past hunter-gatherer societies. These experiments have involved students and early career stage researchers, and the practical skills and knowledge involved has helped to engage new audiences with this under-appreciated period of a shared past. Our talk will summarise, evaluate and celebrate the collective contribution of the BDS towards current Mesolithic research, and set out some new ideas for future work.

Venue: Zoom

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