Teach Primary 18.8

• When were the different periods of the Stone Age – Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods? • How do we know what life was like in prehistoric times? • What problems might there be with relying on archaeological evidence? 3 | ANTLER HEADDRESSES Some of the most rare and fascinating finds from Star Carr were 21 antler headdresses. They are made from the skulls and antlers of red deer, and have holes pierced through them. Show a picture of one of the headdresses to the children ( tinyurl.com/tp-headdress ) . Ask pupils what they think the headdresses are made of and what they could be used for. What might the holes be for? What could have been attached to the headdresses? Who might have worn them? Why would people make headdresses like this? Could they have been used in rituals, or when hunting? Let the children look at Yorkshire Museum’s image of how a shaman or spiritual of it and ask them what it tells us about how Mesolithic people lived. To make a house like this, people would have had to work together and communicate. They used different materials for the structure and thatch, and to tie everything together. Why do the children think Mesolithic people built houses here? (It must have been an area where they could easily obtain building materials, gather and hunt for food.) The settlement was situated by a lake, so there would have been fish, waterfowl and mammals nearby. Evidence shows that people stayed here for long periods of time – they didn’t wander around finding caves to sleep in. • How does life in the Mesolithic period compare with the Neolithic or New Stone Age? Neolithic settlements became more permanent, and people began to grow crops such as wheat and barley and domesticate animals such as cows, sheep and goats. • What were houses like in the Neolithic period? Many houses would still have been built out of wood and thatch, but there is also evidence of houses made from stone, such as in Skara Brae on the Orkney Islands, where there were no trees. • How are rituals and beliefs expressed in the Neolithic period? This is the era when larger scale and communal sites are first constructed, such as henges and standing stones. The building of these would have involved communication and cooperation between groups of people. EXTENDING THE LESSON leader may have worn one of the headdresses ( tinyurl.com/ tp-shaman ). What does this picture suggest about Stone Age people? We often assume early people expended all their energy on survival, but these finds give us clues as to the beliefs that they had and their close relationship with the natural environment. Some of these antler headdresses were found placed in the water of the lake, near a wooden platform that had been built. They may have been offerings to gods or spirits and have had spiritual meanings. What sort of rituals and beliefs do you think Mesolithic people might have held? Many religions today still celebrate the gathering of harvests, giving thanks for food, and have celebrations linked to the changes of the seasons. Conclude the lesson by asking children to tell you all the clues these amazing finds have given us about the Mesolithic people living 11,000 years ago. Pupils should be aware that: • There were skilled craftspeople who made and used a range of tools from bone, wood and antler, to hunt and prepare food, build shelter and express their beliefs. • Mesolithic people were still hunter-gatherers, but spent long periods in places where there was an abundance of natural resources. • They took part in rituals and gave offerings to gods and spirits for the things they had. Rachel Bruce is an experienced primary school teacher, currently teaching Year 2. She is passionate about local history and has a Historical Association Teacher Fellowship in Local History. “Tools were made of stone, wood, bone or antler and it took great skill to create them” USEFUL QUESTIONS www.teachwire.net | 91