An Archaeology Assignment

[Tengu]

Something from our very smart tutor (who is the cleverest man at our college)

I am stumped.

He wants an archaeological site from the Mesolithic with lots of evidence of foraging.

Got that??

It would be easy enough if it was hunting, but he wants us to cover the gathering side.

Any suggestions?

 

[Harvestman]

Try looking on this link:
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/topics.php?countries=1

 

[Toddy]

Look up hazelnuts, and water chestnuts.
Colonsay, Rhum both come to mind right away.

cheers,
M

 

[Toddy]

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/scotlandshistory/earlypeople/staonsaighazelnuts/index.asp

While I mind; did Mithven, S., not have a book about foragers ?

M

water chestnuts, etc.,

Dreadful looking link, but it took me right there
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...onepage&q=mesolithic, water chestnuts&f=false

Better yet
http://www.academia.edu/1535170/Gathered_Food_Plants_at_Dutch_Mesolithic_and_Neolithic_Wetland_Sites

 

[Adze]

Would shell midden sites such as the one at Namu in BC suit your purposes? I vaguely remember Uncle Ray and Prof Gordon Hillman chatting about them in one of the Wild Food episodes... I may be conflating Uncle Ray programs though.

 

[outdoorpaddy]

There was charred hazelnut remains found at mount sandel here in Northern Ireland, along with remains of a Mesolithic house, which is very interesting.
Hope this helps,

Paddy

 

[Toddy]

The Bann valley is such a rich site

cheers,
M

 

[Tengu]

Thanks a lot.

I guess Mesolithic man ate a lot of Nutella, eh?

sorry for not getting back to you earlier, been busy

 

[Toddy]

It's hard proving plant use in the Mesolithic in the UK. It's the temperate climate again; everything organic rots.
You really need to find wet anaerobic conditions for preservation (or shell middens). Varves can give evidences of the upswings, etc., of what might be human deforestation, and the clear indications of which pollen bearing plants were around, but while that's potential, it's not proof of use.
Reedmace doesn't leave shell evidences like hazelnuts, acorn shells break down very quickly, waterchestnuts do leave a tiny wee hard end, pignuts don't leave anything, lesser celandines don't leave anything, fruits sometimes leave stones (like the cloudberries and the wild cherries found in context in crannog excavations) and mesolithic doesn't have pottery that gives impressions of stuff like grains and seeds.

What's your lecturer's specific interest might be a good starting point

M

 

[Tengu]

Um,. he has five degrees, including physics

 

[Toddy]

Then hit the science of it all

M