Early Mesolithic Activity in the Wetlands of the Lake Flixton Basin

Abstract This paper discusses the results of new research that has been carried out on the Early Mesolithic wetland landscape of the eastern Vale of Pickering. Environmental profiles have been recorded from two areas of Early Mesolithic activity close to the former shore of the palaeo-Lake Flixton. These have refined our understanding of the sequence of environmental change taking place around the edge of the lake, and its relationship to the pattern of Mesolithic activity that took place within these wetland areas. The results of this work are then used to discuss the depositional context of the artefact assemblages from Star Carr and the wider relationship between Mesolithic people and the wetlands of this area.

[1]  B. Taylor.  The occupation of wetland landscapes during the British Mesolithic : case studies from the Vale of Pickering , 2012 .

[2]  N. Milner,et al.  Star Carr in a Postglacial Lakescape: 60 Years of Research , 2011 .

[3]  P. Mellars.  Moonshine over Star Carr: post-processualism, Mesolithic myths and archaeological realities , 2009, Antiquity.

[4]  T. Koff,et al.  Spatial distribution of macrofossil assemblages in surface sediments of two small lakes in Estonia , 2008 .

[5]  C. Conneller.  Inhabiting new landscapes: settlement and mobility in Britain after the last glacial maximum , 2007 .

[6]  Carl D. Sayer,et al.  Spatial Representation of Aquatic Vegetation by Macrofossils and Pollen in a Small and Shallow Lake , 2006 .

[7]  T. Higham,et al.  NEW RADIOCARBON ACCELERATOR DATES ON ARTEFACTS FROM THE EARLY MESOLITHIC SITE OF STAR CARR, NORTH YORKSHIRE* , 2006 .

[8]  C. Conneller.  Becoming deer. Corporeal transformations at Star Carr , 2004, Archaeological Dialogues.

[9]  A. Dieffenbacher-Krall,et al.  The relationship of modern plant remains to water depth in alkaline lakes in New England, USAe , 2000 .

[10]  J. Rodwell,et al.  British Plant Communities, Vol. 4. Aquatic Communities, Swamps and Tall-herb Fens. , 1995 .

[11]  P. Greatrex.  INTERPRETATION OF MACROFOSSIL ASSEMBLAGES FROM SURFACE SAMPLING OF MACROSCOPIC PLANT REMAINS IN MIRE COMMUNITIES , 1983 .

[12]  H. Morowitz.  On Making a Point , 1980 .

[13]  M. Pitts.  Hides and antlers: a new look at the gatherer- hunter site at Star Carr, North Yorkshire, England , 1979 .

[14]  R. Adams.  Excavations at Star Carr. J. G. D. Clark , 1956 .

[15]  C. Buck,et al.  IntCal13 and Marine13 Radiocarbon Age Calibration Curves 0–50,000 Years cal BP , 2013, Radiocarbon.

[16]  P. Lane,et al.  Hunter-gatherers in the Landscape: Investigations of the Early Mesolithic in the Vale of Pickering, North Yorkshire. 1976-2000 , 2013 .

[17]  Ben Elliott,et al.  Making a Point: a Critical Review of the Barbed Point Manufacturing Process Practised at Star Carr , 2012 .

[18]  Christopher Bronk Ramsey,et al.  BAYESIAN ANALYSIS OF RADIOCARBON DATES , 2009 .

[19]  C. Buck,et al.  IntCal09 and Marine09 Radiocarbon Age Calibration Curves, 0–50,000 Years cal BP , 2009, Radiocarbon.

[20]  A. Dieffenbacher-Krall.  PLANT MACROFOSSIL METHODS AND STUDIES | Surface Samples, Taphonomy, Representation , 2007 .

[21]  B. Geel,et al.  PLANT MACROFOSSIL METHODS AND STUDIES | Mire and Peat Macros , 2007 .

[22]  H. H. Birks.  PLANT MACROFOSSIL INTRODUCTION , 2007 .

[23]  G. E. Cummins.  Impacts of hunter-gatherers on the vegetation history of the eastern Vale of Pickering, Yorkshire , 2003 .

[24]  P. Gardiner.  Peopling the Mesolithic in a Northern Environment , 2003 .

[25]  C. Conneller,et al.  Beyond Star Carr: The Vale of Pickering in the 10th Millennium BP , 2003, Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society.

[26]  C. Conneller.  Space, time and technology : the Early Mesolithic of the Vale of Pickering, North Yorkshire , 2000 .

[27]  P. Mellars,et al.  Star Carr in context : new archaeological and palaeoecological investigations at the Early Mesolithic site of Star Carr, North Yorkshire , 1998 .

[28]  P. Day.  Devensian Late-glacial and early Flandrian environmental history of the Vale of Pickering, Yorkshire, England , 1996 .

[29]  J. Rodwell.  Aquatic communities, swamps tall-herb fens , 1995 .

[30]  A. Smith,et al.  Palaeoenvironments in the Vale of Pickering. Part 3 : Environmental History at Star Carr , 1988 .

[31]  E. W. Cloutman.  Palaeoenvironments in the Vale of Pickering. Part I. Stratigraphy and Palaeogeography of Seamer Carr, Star Carr and Flixton Carr , 1988 .

[32]  J. Dumont.  A Microwear Analysis of Selected Artefact Types from the Mesolithic Sites of Star Carr and Mount Sandel, Parts i and ii , 1988 .

[33]  P. Rowley-Conwy,et al.  Star Carr revisited : a re-analysis of the large mammals , 1988 .

[34]  H. H. Birks.  Modern macrofossil assemblages in lake sediments in Minnesota , 1973 .

[35]  T. G. Tutin,et al.  British sedges: A handbook to the species of carex found growing in the British Isles , 1968 .

[36]  J. Moore.  Mesolithic Sites in the Neighbourhood of Flixton, North-east Yorkshire , 1950, Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society.

[37]  H. Godwin,et al.  A Preliminary Report on Excavations at Star Carr, Seamer, Scarborough, Yorkshire, 1949 , 1949, Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society.