What’s on : Lectures

Recent excavations at the Mesolithic site of Star Carr

Lectures
Date
28 Nov 2017
Start time
7:30 PM
Venue
Tempest Anderson Hall
Speaker
Professor Nicky Milner, University of York
Recent excavations at the Mesolithic site of Star Carr

Event Information

Professor Nicky Milner, Deputy Head of Department, Department of Archaeology, University of York

Star Carr is an internationally important Mesolithic site that dates back to roughly 9000 BC. First discovered and excavated in the 1940s it unearthed some extremely rare and intriguing objects, such as headdresses made from red deer skulls and amber beads, which had been preserved in the peat for millennia. The rarity of such objects made the site famous in the archaeological world and many different interpretations were made as to what sort of site it was: e.g. base camp, hunting camp, tanning site, or kill site. From 2004-2015 further excavations took place led by a team from the Universities of York, Manchester and Chester. Although severe deterioration of the deposits had taken place, other rare discoveries were made including more headdresses and an engraved pendant. In addition, three large wooden platforms were uncovered representing the oldest evidence of carpentry in Europe. These important findings have changed the ways in which we understand how hunter-gatherers lived, shortly after the end of the last Ice Age.

Joint lecture with the Department of Archaeology

The 2017 winners of the Charles Wellbeloved and Herman Ramm Awards will be presented with their awards before the lecture.

Please Note because of the Christmas in the Museum Gardens event access will only be possible through the Museum Street gate (opposite Lendal) and a security guard will be checking membership cards, which may make entry to the Gardens slower than usual. We recommend coming along early and having your membership cards to hand (non-members should please be prepared to give the name and start time of the lecture).