Archaeologists at the University of York have won a £1.23 million funding boost to carry out sophisticated research at the site of Britain’s earliest surviving house.
The team, led by York’s Dr Nicky Milner, will use the grant from the European Research Council to continue exploration into the way of life of the hunter-gatherers in the context of climate and environment change during the early part of the post-glacial period (10,000 – 8,000 BC).
The house was discovered in 2010 at Star Carr, North Yorkshire, one of the UK’s most important Early Mesolithic sites. The 3.5 metre wide structure predates the edifice that previously held the title of Britain’s oldest house in Howick, Northumberland.
Over the next five years, further excavations will be carried out in the hope of uncovering more huts in addition to the wooden platform that has already been discovered. This is the earliest evidence of carpentry in Europe.
This excavation is especially significant as very little is known about the post-glacial period, an era where the climate and environment were still changing after the final cold snap of the last Ice Age. In this epoch, Britain was still part of continental Europe.
Dr Milner told Vision: “The current thinking is that the hunter-gatherers who lived at this time were very mobile, dispersed and lived in small groups. Our research suggests this is not the case because this is a very large site with substantial structures.
“The work is therefore turning round current perceptions of how people lived at this time.”
The grant will allow the team to carry out advanced, high-resolution research. The archaeologists will look to reconstruct the environment and climate of the past era through analysis of insects and oxygen isotopes. Other techniques such as radiocarbon dating and laser scanning will help to date the site and delve deeper into activity that may have occurred.
Whilst interesting objects like a boat paddle and arrowheads have been found, there is another aspect that is even more fascinating to researchers. Dr Milner revealed: “What makes it [Star Carr] so special is the preservation of the organics – bone, antler, wood rarely survive.”
Yet this preservation has caused anxiety and concerns amongst the archaeological team. Dr Milner expressed her worries: “There is a major issue in that the site is deteriorating rapidly due to changing water levels and high acidity.”
“We have been desperately trying to get funding in order to uncover the rich remains before it disappears forever. It is a race against time!”
Professor Julian Richards, Head of the Archaeology department at York, recognises the benefit for the University. He told Vision: “It will mean collaboration with lots of specialists around the country working on state of the art scientific techniques, and links with European colleagues who have an interest in the work.
“And for our students, it means a great opportunity to become involved in the project and possibilities to help in this research which may perhaps lead on to further career and research opportunities.”
There are few known sites which date to this period and Star Carr has understandably stirred great excitement in the archaeological community. Professor Richards explained: “The project will hopefully mean new discoveries for a period which is little understood – just at the end of the last Ice Age.”
English Heritage has listed Star Carr as a Scheduled Ancient Monument for its rarity and archaeological importance.
YUSU President Tim Ellis said, “This is great news for the Archaeology department and for the University as a whole. It is fantastic to see a York Academic at the forefront of a huge project that should give some fascinating insight into the Mesolithic period.”