WHERE IS DOGGERLAND? ALL ABOUT LITHICS (Stone tools) For the majority of its history Britain Until the discovery and was part of Europe, linked closely to development of metals, hard stone communities in Scandinavia and such as flint, quartz and chert was the Netherlands. This changed used for making tools known as 8,000 years ago when a massive lithics ie objects made from stone. tsunami caused by melting ice, None of these rock types are part swept the land bridge away. of the geological makeup of the Archaeologists have named this lost region yet In Nottinghamshire flint is land Doggerland, after the Dogger the most commonly used stone, so Bank. where did it come from? pebbles washed down by For decades fishermen have rivers of glacial melt-water caught stone tools, pieces of trade with other regions ancient wood and animals bones it was brought into the region in their nets. In the 1930’s a bone by hunters following the herds harpoon, stuck in a lump of peat, from elsewhere. confirmed people were once on land now beneath the water. This scarcity of raw materials had consequences - Rivers now under the North Sea tools from the region tend to provided a network of waterways, be smaller giving people access, to Northern, broken blades and tools from Central and Southern areas of earlier times were reused, eg one Europe. Palaeolithic handaxe could be The exploration of Doggerland is made into several Neolithic only just beginning. In recent times, blades pollen, seeds, animal bones and goods were produced other organic matter from core specifically for trade samples, taken from the sea bed in The development of trading links preparation for the construction of led to - wind farms, is increasing our a network of trackways knowledge. the availability of non-local HOW DO WE KNOW? products, eg amber Apart from the Iron Age, we are people aware of different dependent on archaeology for our cultural ideas and new knowledge of prehistory. technologies Information comes from DATING THE PAST excavations and artefacts Dates up to the Neolithic are given landscape features eg as Years Ago (ya). From the enclosures and trackways Neolithic period onwards the environmental evidence eg common form ‘years’ BC is used eg pollen 3000 BC. To change a BC date to European sources ya add 2000: 3000BC = 5000ya. contemporary with the period eg TEACHING THEMES bog bodies from Denmark aerial photography.
WHERE IS DOGGERLAND? For the majority of its history Britain was part of Europe, linked closely to communities in Scandinavia and the Netherlands. This changed 8,000 years ago when a massive tsunami caused by melting ice, swept the land bridge away. Archaeologists have named this lost land Doggerland, after the Dogger Bank. For decades fishermen have caught stone tools, pieces of ancient wood and animals bones in their nets. In the 1930’s a bone harpoon, stuck in a lump of peat, confirmed people were once on land now beneath the water. Rivers now under the North Sea provided a network of waterways, giving people access, to Northern, Central and Southern areas of Europe. The exploration of Doggerland is only just beginning. In recent times, pollen, seeds, animal bones and other organic matter from core samples, taken from the sea bed in preparation for the construction of wind farms, is increasing our knowledge. HOW DO WE KNOW? Apart from the Iron Age, we are dependent on archaeology for our knowledge of prehistory. Information comes from excavations and artefacts landscape features eg enclosures and trackways environmental evidence eg pollen European sources contemporary with the period eg bog bodies from Denmark aerial photography. ALL ABOUT LITHICS (Stone tools) Until the discovery and development of metals, hard stone such as flint, quartz and chert was used for making tools known as lithics ie objects made from stone. None of these rock types are part of the geological makeup of the region yet In Nottinghamshire flint is the most commonly used stone, so where did it come from? pebbles washed down by rivers of glacial melt-water trade with other regions it was brought into the region by hunters following the herds from elsewhere. This scarcity of raw materials had consequences - tools from the region tend to be smaller broken blades and tools from earlier times were reused, eg one Palaeolithic handaxe could be made into several Neolithic blades goods were produced specifically for trade The development of trading links led to - a network of trackways the availability of non-local products, eg amber people aware of different cultural ideas and new technologies DATING THE PAST Dates up to the Neolithic are given as Years Ago (ya). From the Neolithic period onwards the common form ‘years’ BC is used eg 3000 BC. To change a BC date to ya add 2000: 3000BC = 5000ya. TEACHING THEMES