Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-01T03:44:10.487Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Groove and Splinter Technique of working antler in Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Europe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 May 2014

J. G. D. Clark
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge
M. W. Thompson
Affiliation:
Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments, H.M.O.W.

Extract

The excavations carried out between 1949–51 at the Proto-Maglemosian site of Star Carr, near Seamer, Yorkshire, yielded abundant remains of the wild animals hunted during the Pre-boreal stage phase of the Post-glacial period in north-eastern England (J. G. D. Clark, 1949, 1950, 1954). Examination of this material has thrown much light on the methods used to make implements and weapons from the antlers and bones of animals killed primarily for food. The particular object of this paper is to draw attention to the technique used by the Star Carr people to obtain material for barbed points by cutting strips or splinters from stag antlers and to consider its significance in relation to some of the main developments of European prehistory during late Pleistocene and early Post-glacial times.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Prehistoric Society 1953

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Absolon, K. and Czižek, R. (1932), ‘Die Paläolithische Erforschung der Pekárna-Höhle in Mähren’, Mitt, aus der Paläolithischen Abteil. am Mähr. Landesmuseum, nr. 26. Brunn, 1932.Google Scholar
Breuil, H. (1906), ‘Les Cottés. Une grotte du vieil âge du renne á St.-Pierre de Maillé (Vienne)’, Rev. de l'École d'anthropologie, 1906, 47 ff.Google Scholar
Breuil, H. (1938) ‘The Use of Bone Implements in the Old Palaeolithic Period’, Antiquity, 1938, 5667.Google Scholar
Broholm, H. C. (19261931), ‘Nouvelles Trouvailles du plus ancien Age de la Pierre. Les Trouvailles de Holmegaard et de Svaerdborg’, Mém. d. Antiqu. du Nord, 1926–31, 1128.Google Scholar
Clark, J. G. D. (1946), From Savagery to Civilization. London, 1946.Google Scholar
Clark, J. G. D. (1949), ‘A Preliminary Report on Excavations at Star Carr, Seamer, Scarborough, Yorkshire, 1949’, Proc. Prehist. Soc., xv (1949), 5269.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clark, J. G. D. (1950) ‘Preliminary Report on Excavations at Star Carr, Seamer, Scarborough, Yorkshire (Second Season, 1950)’, Proc. Prehist. Soc., XVI (1950), 109129.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clark, J. G. D. (1953), ‘The groove and splinter technique of working reindeer and red deer antler in Upper Palaeolithic and Early Mesolithic Europe’, Archivo de Prehistoria Levantina, IV, 5765.Google Scholar
Clark, J. G. D. et al. . (1954), Excavations at Star Carr, an Early Mesolithic Site at Seamer, near Scarborough, Yorkshire. Cambridge, 1954.Google Scholar
Didon, L. (1911), ‘L'abri Blanchard des roches (Commune de Sergeac). Gisement Aurignacian Moyen’, Bull, de la Soc. hist, et archéol. d. Périgord, 1911.Google Scholar
Friis-Johansen, K. (19181919), ‘Une Station du plus ancien Age de la Pierre dans la Tourbière de Svaerdborg’, Mém. d. Antiqu. du Nord, 1918–9, 241359.Google Scholar
Gerasimov, M. M., ‘Obrabotka kosti paleoliticheskoi stoyanke Malta,’ Materialy i Isledovannia po Arkheologii SSSR, no. 2, 6585, Moscow, 1941.Google Scholar
Girod, P. (1906), Les Stations de l'Age du Renne dans les vallées de la Vézère et de la Corrèze. Paris, 1906.Google Scholar
Gvozdover, M. A., ‘Obrabotka kosti i kostyania izdeliya Avdeevskoy stoyanki,’ Materialy i Isledovannia po Arkheologii SSSR, no. 39, 192226. Moscow, 1953.Google Scholar
Mathiassen, T. (1937), ‘Gudenaa–kulturen. En mesolitisk Indlands-bebyggelse i Jylland’, Aarøbger, 1937, 1186.Google Scholar
Mathiassen, T. (1946), Danske Oldsager. I. Aeldre Stenalder. Copenhagen, 1946.Google Scholar
Meldgaard, J., ‘A Paleo-Eskimo Culture in West Greenland’, American Antiquity, 1952, 222–30.Google Scholar
Pericot, L. (1942), La Cueva del Parpalló (Gandia). Madrid, 1942.Google Scholar
Peters, E. (1930), Die Altsteinzeitliche Kulturstätte Petersfels. Augsburg, 1930.Google Scholar
Rust, A. (1937), Das altsteinzeitliche Renntierjägerlager Meiendorf. Neumünster, 1937.Google Scholar
Rust, A. (1943), Die alt- und mittelsteinzeitlichen Funde von Stellmoor. Neumünster, 1943.Google Scholar
R. and de Saint-Périer, S. (1952), La Grotte d'Isturitz: III Les Solutréens, Les Aurignaciens et les Moustériens. Archives de l' Institut de Paléontologie humaine. Mém. 25. Paris, 1952.Google Scholar
Sarauw, G. F. L. (1903), ‘En Stenalders Boplads i Maglemose ved Mullerup’, Aarbøger, 1903, 148315.Google Scholar
Schmidt, R. R. (1912), Die diluviale Vorzeit Deutschlands. Stuttgart, 1912.Google Scholar
Stimmung, R. (1917), ‘Die Renntierzeit in der märkischen Havelgegend’, Mannus Z., VIII (1917), 233–40.Google Scholar