Hunter-Gatherers in an Upland Landscape: The Mesolithic Period in North East Yorkshire

Abstract

The body of evidence, both archaeological and palaeoenvironmental, for Mesolithic occupation in the North York Moors and adjacent Tees Valley was collated and assessed by the North East Yorkshire Mesolithic project (2006–2014). Five sites in different topographic locations were evaluated by the project, which also included monitoring footpath erosion in key locations in order to verify and extend the known distribution of sites. Almost 50 years on from Jeff Radley’s account of the Mesolithic period in North East Yorkshire, the project’s results provide an opportunity to review the evidence. Knowledge of site distributions across this landscape has increased and understanding of the nature of the occupation has improved but there are still questions to be answered. Directions for future research are suggested, but it may be only with detailed site investigation that we will be able to make significant advances in our understanding of Mesolithic activity within this landscape.

Keywords:

• Mesolithic
• North York Moors
• hunter-gatherer
• landscape

Acknowledgements

The North East Yorkshire Mesolithic project could not have taken place without the support and engagement of the partners: English Heritage, Tees Archaeology and the North York Moors National Park. The help of Margaret Nieke in securing the necessary Natural England permissions for work within SSSIs is gratefully acknowledged. The active co-operation of many different landowners, farmers and keepers allowed the project to take place and in I would especially like to thank Peter Humphrey, Paul Hogarth, Alwyn Marsay, John Hoyes, Anne-Louise Willans, Jimmy Brough, Roy Brown, James Savile, John Richardson, and Trevor Bailey for their permission and support during the Phase 2 and 3 fieldwork. I would like to thank my colleagues Robin Daniels (Tees Archaeology) and Graham Lee (North York Moors National Park) for their support through the duration of the project. The fieldwork was directed by Rachel Grahame of Tees Archaeology, with on-site supervision by Aaron Goode, Dave Errickson and Kevin Horsley. The geophysical survey was carried out by Duncan Hale of Archaeological Services Durham University. Margaret Finch and Rachel Grahame produced the illustrations. I am grateful also to Jim Innes (Durham University) and Peter Rowe (Tees Archaeology), who provided advice and guidance during Phase 2, and to the numerous colleagues who provided comments and useful discussions, especially Chantal Conneller (University of Manchester), Keith Emerick (English Heritage), Daryl Garton, John Hinchliffe, Nicky Milner (York University), Dominic Powlesland (Landscape Research Centre), Penny Spikins (York University), and Clive Waddington (Archaeological Research Services). I would like to conclude by thanking the many volunteers who took part in the project, both the North York Moors National Park’s Historic Environment Volunteers who carried out the moorland monitoring programme and those who joined the fieldwork teams for the evaluations: these volunteers willingly gave their time and effort in often appalling conditions and without them the project could not have achieved as much.