by A NEW exhibition opening today at the Yorkshire Museum aims to bring to light the everyday lives of Stone Age people living in one of Britain’s first organized settlements – right here in North Yorkshire.
Today the settlement is known as Starr Carr, at the eastern end of what is now known as the Vale of Pickering.
But 11,000 years ago – just after the last Ice Age, when Britain was still connected to mainland Europe by a land bridge – there was a thriving Mesolithic, or Middle Stone Age, settlement.
Hunter-gatherers settled and lived here on the shore of a lake that stretched along the Pickering Valley towards the sea.
Back in 2010, archaeologists announced that they had found evidence here for what they called the ‘oldest house in Britain’.
Digital reconstruction of Star Carr houses (Image: Marcus Abbott)
But they got much more than that. It was clear that there was more than one house – which made this a proper arrangement.
Archaeologists also found an unusual wooden platform, somewhat like a Stone Age deck, extending along part of the lake shore.
It was made of split wood, and worked with stone axes – the earliest evidence of carpentry in Britain. Experts are not entirely sure what its use was – it may have helped stabilize the muddy lake shore; or it could be used to pull boats.
University of York archaeologist Dr Nicky Milner working on the remains of the 11,000 year old wooden platform at Star Carr back in 2010 (Image: Suppliers)
The site, buried in mud and peat, was first discovered in the 1940s, and excavated between 1949 and 1951 and then again in the early 2000s.
Other finds included stone axes and arrowheads, tools for working bone and antlers – and 195 spearheads or arrows carved from antlers.
There were also beads made from shells and amber – evidence that these Stone Age people were a personal accessory. And perhaps most unusual of all, archaeologists have found more than 30 red deer ‘headdresses’ – red deer skulls with the antlers still attached.
The skulls were pierced with holes at the back so that the wearers could attach the headdresses to their heads – and archaeologists believe they may have been used for ritual dances.
Curator Dr Andy Woods with the Star Carr headdress at the Yorkshire Museum (Image: Anthony Chapel-Ross)
The site was so important that today it is often referred to as the ‘Stonehenge of the Mesolithic’.
Yorkshire Museum is opening a new exhibition today – ‘Star Carr: Life after the Ice’ – showing some of the artefacts, some for the first time, to explore how they settled, created, cooked and prehistoric community worship.
READ MORE:
– Explore the site of the prehistoric settlement at Star Carr
– York archaeologists discover Britain’s oldest house at Star Carr
Among the objects on display, many of which are in the Yorkshire Museum’s own collection, are some of those wonderful antler headdresses, a decorated stone pendant, the world’s oldest complete hunting bow, and pieces of that lakeside terrace.
Curator Emily North with part of the 11,000-year-old Star Carr lakeside platform at Yorkshire Museum (Image: Anthony Chapel-Ross)
The artefacts are presented alongside digital recreations of what a Star Car might have looked like 11,000 years ago and – using what the museum calls ‘creative design and sensory space creation’ – an interactive mural and a soundscape that immerses visitors in the Mesolithic world of Star Carr. .
Children can follow the story of Star Carr through the eyes of a friendly dog who lived with the people by the lake.
Looking for replica headgear at the Yorkshire Museum’s Star Car exhibition (Image: Anthony Chapel-Ross)
And a wider program of family-friendly events – including weaving, headdress-making and necklace-making workshops scheduled for the Easter and summer school holidays – runs alongside the exhibition.
Adam Parker, curator of archeology at Yorkshire Museum, said: “We’re excited to be showing many of the artefacts for the first time and hope the exhibition will challenge our thinking about how people lived in the Mesolithic.
Curator Adam Parker with Star Carr pendants at the Yorkshire Museum (Image: Anthony Chapel-Ross)
“They were sophisticated with complex sets of beliefs and living in an area that was very different to the North Yorkshire landscape of today.”
Archaeologist Professor Nicky Milner of the University of York, one of the leaders of the 2010 archaeological dig, said: “It’s very exciting to have these internationally important artefacts on display.
“They are extremely rare and I’m sure people will be interested in seeing old objects like this which give us an insight into life 11,000 years ago.”
‘Star Carr: Life after the Ice’ opens today (Friday 22 March) in the central gallery at Yorkshire Museum. Admission is included in general admission.
To book tickets in advance visit www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk/
