The Archaeology of Britain: An introduction from ... - waughfamily.ca

• 46 • Steven Mithen
use of observations made on modern hunter-gatherer sites, are apparent. These innovations
reflect contemporary thrusts in the subject more generally.
Thereafter, new analyses of the original data were undertaken, mirroring broader developments
in Mesolithic archaeology. Dumont (in Bonsall 1989) applied microwear analysis, a method whereby
microscopic examination of tool edges may indicate their former use, as different activities such
as working wood or hide or cutting meat leave different microscopic traces. This demonstrated
that a wide range of tasks had been undertaken, suggesting that arguments for a small set of
specialized activities were wrong.
The faunal assemblage (discussed below) was reanalysed by Legge and Rowley-Conwy (1988).
Whereas the original report had done little more than identify the species present, sex and age
distributions by species, seasonality, body part representation (shown in ethnoarchaeological studies
to indicate site function) and cut-marks on the surface of bones were considered. These authors
drew heavily on ethnoarchaeology and ecology, demonstrating the remarkable advances in
archaeozoology since the 1950s. They concluded that Star Carr had been a spring/summer hunting
camp, dismissing the evidence for winter occupation that had once seemed so critical.
High-resolution pollen and sedimentological analyses were undertaken thereafter on a peat
monolith from a new trench at Star Carr. Day (1993) examined pollen frequencies, charcoal
fragments and mineral content, thus obtaining a more detailed picture of vegetational history
and establishing the extent to which this had been influenced by human activity. New radiocarbon
dates were acquired by AMS methods and calibrated: an absolute chronology for the occupation
was thus secured (Day and Mellars 1994). This research demonstrates that people first occupied
the locality c.10, 700 years ago—a thousand years earlier than implied by the uncalibrated dates.
During the next 80 years, the lakeside vegetation was burnt, perhaps to encourage new growth
and to attract animals. Activity locally then appears to end, to be resumed at 10,550 BP; it then
lasted a further 120 years. There thus appear to be two main occupation periods, with Clark’s
excavation relating to the second.
Day’s work confirmed that, while during the Late Mesolithic the immediate vicinity of Star
Carr was unoccupied, there was activity elsewhere in the Vale of Pickering; microscopic charcoal
particles continued to accumulate in lacustrine sediments. Late Mesolithic occupation of the Vale
had already been discovered by Schalda-Hall (1987), who employed extensive test-pitting to show
that Clark’s site is one of several concentrations of hunter-gatherer activity there.
Star Carr has thus repeatedly provided a test bed for the application of new analytical methods
and new theories. New concerns with site formation processes, more sophisticated use of
ethnographic analogies, new analytical methods, the calibration of radiocarbon dates, and a
recognition of the need to place any site in its regional context are all noteworthy.
OTHER KEY SITES
Thatcham, Berkshire
Thatcham is located in the Kennet Valley. Although discovered in 1920, full-scale excavations
were not undertaken until 1958–1961. Wymer (1962) identified the assemblage as Maglemosian;
radiocarbon dates have since placed this occupation between 10,365±170 and 9480±160
radiocarbon years BP. Located in a topographic situation akin to Star Carr on an ancient lake
margin, similar ranges of stone artefacts and fauna were recovered. Red deer, roe deer and wild
pig were accompanied by horse and elk, both indicative of cold and relatively open conditions.
One major difference from Star Carr is the scarcity of wooden and antler artefacts, especially
barbed points.