The environment and settlement of some of the regions of Mesolithic Europe Essay Example

bone points, and partially-manufactured tools. Additionally, a cemetery housing five graves was found approximately 300 feet east of the site and is believed to be a component of a larger burial ground. However, these are all the current findings to date. It appears that the primary function of the settlement was fishing-based.

Based on the range of recovered artefacts, it can be inferred that a diverse range of subsistence activities was carried out at the site, indicating the possibility of seasonal activities away from the camp and also potential trade with other groups (Bailey, Spitkens 2011, 32-33). The good preservation of several Danish sites points to the extensive function and activity that took place in this part of Europe (Cunliffe 2001, 116). Smakkerup Huse, situated on Zealand Island's former fjord at Saltbaek Vig in Denmark, was occupied year-round according to organic remains discovered, with varying reliance on fish, seals, red and roe deer. Wood and bone tools were found at the site, including a fish trap and a bow made from elm, as well as fragments of a canoe and wood shavings indicating that boat building had occurred.

The collection found during excavation involved various objects, such as a painted pebble, small cups, bowls, an amber pendant, and perforated teeth (Cunliffe 2001, 116-117). Furthermore, there are numerous instances of continuous inhabitation throughout the year, as exemplified by shell middens and the adjacent settlements around Europe, which are typically situated where different regions intersect. These sites would have been rich in resources that persisted throughout various seasons of the year.

The occupation of the shell midden at Ertobolle was likely for hunting larger animals during summer and relying

on sea mammals in winter. Fish and oysters, found in the midden, would have been collected to fill gaps in seasons (Cunliffe 2001, 113). Settlements in Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Russia, and surrounding regions have similar setups, but on a larger scale. Kierikki, in Finland, has over 300 house floors along the Li River and was likely a permanent settlement for most of the year. Trade is evident through materials found, such as amber, greenstone, and large pottery - some even holding over 100 liters and used for whale oil.

The economy of the region was based on fishing, hunting, seal hunting, and seal oil production, which served as a trading asset (Bailey, Spitkins 2009, 33-34). Sarnate was a typical settlement style found along the Latvian coast, featuring subsidiary satellite camps used seasonally. Dwellings made of logs were set up in organized subdivisions with designated storage areas. The community relied on activities such as seal hunting, fishing, and large-scale plant gathering to support its economy.

Evidence of large-scale water chestnut processing is apparent from the toolkits discovered, which included mallets and pounders for crushing and shell casings. Storage areas in houses also contained remains of water chestnuts. The sites found in various parts of Estonia were characterized by large wooden dwellings on wooden piles, with ridged roofs ranging from 30-90 square meters. Some interiors had bark floors and boxed or stone-lined hearths, with significant amounts of fish species, animals, nettles and hemp remains found. High levels of water chestnuts, hazelnuts, hemp seeds and pollen suggest that some land might have been cleared for cultivation purposes. In northwestern Russia, many sites are located along wetland areas of lakes

such as the Vozhe and Lacha lakes. (Bailey, Spitkens 2009, 34-35).

In Lacha, the biggest settlement had three substantial post-framed rectangular houses occupying an area of almost 1500 square meters. Each of these structures contained one or two hearths, and two additional ones were located outside. Furthermore, there were storage pits and a specific ritual pit that was home to a birch trunk adorned with an elk skull. Among the animal remains found at the site were elk, beaver, swan, and pike.

According to Bailey and Spitkens (2009), a bog in the area revealed a collection of tools, including decorated bows, skis, a sledge, and implements like a fishing basket and a sedge net. The findings also indicated that there was trade of materials unique to particular regions within the Baltic and Scandinavia. Skis and sledges were likely used during colder months, while boats probably navigated trade routes during summer. Among the traded items were amber transported from southern to northern Scandinavia, pumice from Norway to southern areas of Scandinavia, as well as seal oil amongst Baltic islands, and green Olonets from Finland to northwest Russia.

A network of smaller settlements can be connected to the main encampments, where individuals relocated for a variety of purposes, such as harvesting seasonal plant and animal life. Specialized winter swan hunting sites such as Aggersund in Scandinavia, with a significant number of whooper swan remains only available in the winter months, provide an example. Dyrholm, another site, would appear to be an area for eel fishing based on its organic remains. Vaengo So has been identified as a whale processing site due to the abundance of whale bone present. In

addition to fulfilling food processing requirements, these outlying sites away from the main encampments may have served a variety of other functions. Trading, exchanging ideas, and conducting social and ritual activities may have been the primary purpose for many of these sites across Europe (Cunliffe 2001, 117).

When examining the Mesolithic settlement pattern in Ireland and its correlation with the rest of Europe, there is some debate as to its nature and development. The preference for settling near waterways was evident and supported by evidence from various sites, indicating a reliance on marine life as a food source. These areas also provided other subsistent resources such as plants, berries, and wild animals. Unlike Britain, red deer hunting did not play a significant role in the Mesolithic period in Ireland, possibly due to the species appearing much later or early in the Neolithic period (Barry 2000, 6). This raises questions about woodland clearance around sites and how it relates to settlement and how people in Ireland during the Mesolithic period manipulated these areas.

The practice of clearing land around sites in order to attract animals for hunting has been observed in various locations throughout Europe. While evidence is somewhat limited in Ireland, this method has been identified at Star Carr in Britain and other areas where it is believed that the removal of trees created clearings that would draw in animals such as red deer (Megaw, Simpson 1981, 51). In addition to attracting game, the clearance of woodland was also used for various activities, such as setting hearths, burning wood, and working with wood and flint. The SW Cherhill and Summerland Farm sites in Britain are two

examples of locations where large-scale tree clearance was conducted for these purposes.

According to Conneller and Warren (2011, 132-133), the SW Cherhill site had a significant collection of flint tools, such as scrapers, burins, microliths and flakes, which suggests that the site was used to process Aurochs and beaver for their meat, hide and bones. The Summerland Farm site also had a variety of flint tools including blades, scrapers, and awls, which may have been used for processing plants and animals, as well as hide working (Ibid). However, there is a debate about whether there were dedicated settlements in Ireland during the same period as in Britain. While Britain has sites like Skipsea, Broxbourne, Thatcham and Owen Banks for comparison, there is a lack of evidence for dedicated settlements in Ireland (Megaw and Simpson 1981, 53).

The sole instance of a Mesolithic base camp in Ireland can be found at Mount Sandel in Derry, near the River Bann. This settlement was likely occupied during the summer and autumn months and supported by a fishing-based economy that centered on salmon and eels, as indicated by recovered remains (Barry 2000, 6-7). Many sites in Ireland appear to have served a specialized transit function, but this does not preclude them from also acting as subsidiary locations for larger, more permanent camps. Although physical evidence of base camps is limited, sites such as Lough Boora, Derravaragh, and Newferry suggest that settlement could have been widespread and clustered around specialized locations like those examples. At Lough Derravaragh, for instance, specialized sites along the shore of what was once a late Mesolithic island imply that this region may have been a hub of

greater activity.

Newferry, situated around 40 km upstream from Mount Sandel, is a specialized area where more than 40 polished axes and numerous blades have been discovered along with salmon and eel remains. Experts suggest that this area was frequented by groups involved in lithic and woodworking activities focused on making fish traps and weirs for lining the river. The number of identifiable settlements in Ireland as compared to Britain may be linked to various factors, including changes in the environment. Changes in the sea levels and woodland composition would have had an impact on the settlement patterns of people over time. However, interpreting the changes since the Mesolithic period has become increasingly challenging due to several factors, such as low-lying later sites compared to earlier sites.

According to Barry (2000, 9), evidence of settlement may have been lost due to erosion and changes in certain areas, where materials are covered by alluvial deposits or peat. These examples are just a few of the various types of settlements found across Europe during the Mesolithic period, indicating the significance of coastal and river locations as well as inland regions in terms of subsistence practices. Despite not being typically associated with roaming hunter-gatherers, these settlements reflect a form of organization and settlement.

Although not everyone returned to the same place every night for dinner, the complexity of the inhabitants of Ireland should not be underestimated. Just because there may not be clear evidence of settlement in Ireland does not mean its inhabitants were any less complex than their neighbors in Britain and Europe. People who lived 10,000 years ago were not stupid; in fact, their knowledge and skills regarding the

environment were impressive and could put a modern human to shame. It is logical for any species to focus on areas that provide abundance in resources and food supplies necessary for survival, which encourages settlements.