Antler-working practices in Mesolithic Britain
This thesis aims to characterise the use of antler in the British Mesolithic, and to place this within the broader context of human and deer relations during the period. It uses traceological analysis to study worked antler from Mesolithic Britain, building up a picture of the ways in which the chaĂźne opĂ©ratoire for the treatment of antler artefacts varied across time and space during the period. This marks the first large-scale application of this method to material from the British archaeological record, resulting in the analysis of 516 pieces of worked antler. In doing so, it extends the current understanding of technological variation within the British Mesolithic further than the previous comparisons between Early Mesolithic sites in North Yorkshire and Final Mesolithic sites in Western Scotland, by including material from 39 sites across England, Scotland and Wales. New artefact types are defined and previously undocumented patterns of re-use and repair of antler materials are identified within specific archaeological contexts. Additionally, this thesis considers variations and consistencies within the treatment of antler as a material, in relation to the dynamic and changing relationship between people
Elliott, Benjamin
Antler-working practices in Mesolithic Britain. This thesis aims to characterise the use of antler in the British Mesolithic, and to place this within the broader context of human and deer relations during the period. It uses traceological analysis to study worked antler from Mesolithic Britain, building up a picture of the ways in which the chaĂźne opĂ©ratoire for the treatment of antler artefacts varied across time and space during the period. This marks the first large-scale application of this method to material from the British archaeological record, resulting in the analysis of 516 pieces of worked antler. In doing so, it extends the current understanding of technological variation within the British Mesolithic further than the previous comparisons between Early Mesolithic sites in North Yorkshire and Final Mesolithic sites in Western Scotland, by including material from 39 sites across England, Scotland and Wales. New artefact types are defined and previously undocumented patterns of re-use and repair of antler materials are identified within specific archaeological contexts. Additionally, this thesis considers variations and consistencies within the treatment of antler as a material, in relation to the dynamic and changing relationship between people
antler working practice mesolithic britain aim characterise use antler british mesolithic place_within broad_context human deer relation period analysis study work antler mesolithic britain building picture way chaazne_opa ratoire treatment antler artefact vary_across time_space period mark first large_scale application_method material british archaeological_record result analysis piece work antler extend current technological variation_within british mesolithic previous comparison early_mesolithic sit north_yorkshire final mesolithic sit western_scotland include material site_across england scotland_wales new artefact_type define previously undocumented pattern re_use repair antler material identify within specific archaeological_context additionally considers variation consistency within treatment antler material relation dynamic change relationship_people