Palaeolithic and Mesolithic South Yorkshire: Not Simply Dots on a Map

Abstract

Archaeological Services WYAS (ASWYAS) has recently completed a project aimed at enhancing the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic period record held by South Yorkshire Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) and developing appropriate mitigation strategies within the planning process. This was achieved through a reassessment and enhancement of existing records, and the creation of new records with information gathered from published and unpublished sources and from repositories such as regional museums and libraries. As a result, the number of recorded early prehistoric sites and findspots in South Yorkshire has more than doubled and the importance of cave sites, upland locations and wetland environments has been highlighted.

Keywords:

• Prehistoric
• Palaeolithic
• Mesolithic
• flint
• South Yorkshire

Acknowledgments

ASWYAS would like to thank David MacLeod of English Heritage for funding and monitoring the work. Thanks for guidance and comment are also due to Penny Spikins of York University and to Dinah Saich and Andrew Lines of the South Yorkshire Archaeology Service, and to Tim Cockrell and Dr Paul Preston for the provision of data collected as part of their PhD research.