Living in the Stone Age

Lunt Meadows Nature Reserve in Sefton was once home to Merseyside’s earliest-known residents – stone age hunter-gatherers. Today, the Lancashire Wildlife Trust is connecting visitors with our ancient ancestors. Heritage and Conservation Trainee Amy Birtles explores their world.

An archaeologist from University of Chester stitches a coiled basket from rushes and red deer bone by Julia Simons

A late-Mesolithic arrow replica – the flint is glued to the stick using birch tar glue by Molly Toal Participants at a prehistoric skills workshop show off their glass arrowheads. These were made by knapping, a skill Mesolithic people used to make stone tools by Julia Simons

When most people hear “prehistoric humans” or “stone age people”, they think of cavemen who had just discovered fire. Conversely, people alive 10,000 years ago (in the Mesolithic period) were remarkably advanced, using skills and techniques which were passed down through countless generations before they were lost in the modern age. It’s truly amazing what people were able to achieve without any of the technologies that we are so reliant on today. They were nomadic too – remains of shelters and ‘everyday’ activities at Lunt Meadows tells us that the site was not a permanent settlement, rather a place which groups of travelling huntergatherers returned to several times over many years.

Recent discoveries have taught us that prehistoric humans probably had more leisure time than people today. It was previously thought that ancient peoples spent their lives fighting hard for survival. In fact, they were so skilled and knowledgeable about the world around them and how to utilise their resources that they had plenty of time to socialise, create, and develop culture. The lives of Mesolithic humans were so advanced that archaeologists are still trying to figure out how they did it.

The methodology and purpose behind stone circles are an example of stone age technology we’re still debating. Theories range from solar calendars to ancient rituals, but we still don’t really know how or why these monuments were built. Experimental archaeologists and bushcraft experts have worked out some of the more practical technologies though, and we can re-create them in the modern day. Mesolithic humans knew how to braid cordage and weave baskets from numerous plants, create precision tools from chunks of flint, and manufacture ultra-strong glue from the tar and resin found in trees.

Tree glue, namely birch tar and pine resin, was a vital part of any stone age toolkit. It was used to haft flint shards and feathers to arrows, knife blades to handles, and more. Both pine resin and birch tar may have been used for medicinal properties too.

Birch tar is extracted by burning birch bark and collecting the evaporated vapours on a smooth stone. We can only guess how our ancient ancestors realised this technology, but we know for certain it had many vital applications in their lives. A 5,700 year old chunk of birch tar was found in Denmark which showed teeth marks, evidence that it was used as a chewing gum.

Woven baskets would have been used to store and collect food in when foraging by Julia Simons The peeling bark of a birch tree can be used to make glue and would have been readily available in woodlands of the stone age by Mark Hamblin/2020VISION

Birch tar needs to be softened with heat before it’s applied, so chewing could have been a way of preparing the tar for use. It also has mild antiseptic properties, so may have been chewed as a form of pain relief for toothache. This piece of birch tar is particularly special as it has preserved the DNA of its chewer; a young girl who suffered from gum disease. Perhaps this prehistoric chewing gum was an early form of dental treatment.

The other form of Stone Age glue commonly found is pine resin, or pine pitch. Pine resin also has antibiotic and antiseptic properties. Many bushcrafters today still use it in the same way as Mesolithic people would have; as a makeshift band aid. Smearing a small quantity of pine resin on a cut or graze will help seal the wound, as well as drawing out infection. It could even be used to draw out splinters. Like birch tar, pine resin may have been used as a chewing gum to soothe mouth pain and sore throats.

Pine resin in its raw form is much softer and stickier than birch tar, so it would have gone through a relatively complex process before use as glue. Stone Age humans figured out how to heat resin to remove impurities, and add tempers like crushed charcoal and animal fur to increase strength. Staff and volunteers at Lunt Meadows are learning prehistoric skills with project partners at Soroptimist International Crosby, with the aim of offering workshops to the public. It’s only in the last 5000 years that humans have developed a new relationship with the world around us, losing the vast knowledge and intimate closeness which was developing for millennia. The Mesolithic and Modern Life project at Lunt Meadows seeks to explore this past relationship, and reintroduce some of the skills back into our lives. Thanks to our partners at the University of Chester History and Archaeology Department, we’re discovering more about the skills and technologies of our local ancestors all the time. At the Museum of Liverpool, archaeologists have been working with LWT to reconstruct the Mesolithic settlement at Lunt Meadows, offering a rare window into the homes and daily lives of Mesolithic people. Through partnership collaboration, the project is able to share the skills and knowledge of our heritage with visitors to Lunt Meadows. Of course, none of this work would be possible without support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund too, which keeps our research into Lunt’s past and people going, while also ensuring the nature reserve remains a refuge for wildlife.

To keep up to date with the work, wildlife and what’s on at Lunt Meadows, follow the team’s Facebook page at ‘Lancashire Widllife Trust – Merseyside’ or sign up to the Trust’s e-newsletter at: www.lancswt.org.uk

The Wildlife Trusts

The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside is dedicated to the protection and promotion of the wildlife in Lancashire, seven boroughs of Greater Manchester and four of Merseyside, all lying north of the River Mersey. It manages around 40 nature reserves and 20 Local Nature Reserves covering acres of woodland, wetland, upland and meadow. The Trust has 27,000 members, and over 1,200 volunteers. To become a member of the Trust go to the website at www.lancswt.org.uk or call 01772 324129

The life of Di

A monthly column by Di Wade, the author of ‘A Year In Verse’

A SUCKER FOR NOVELTY

I’m a sucker for novelty, whether it’s painted eggs at Easter, cute Nott-End post-boxes commemorating the NHS – or big daft hats for the Jubilee

If it’s different, and the difference means bright, cheery, or otherwise pleasant, for no other reason than the heck of it, and unashamedly, it gets my vote.

As for any festival days, Mayday would’ve seen me sticking up a pole, and having a bunch of blokes show up with bells, tassels, and a squeeze box, had I only known how to manage it.

Instead, my parents and I took ourselves to Starr Gate, and from there strolled up past the glitter ball, and to gawp at carriage after carriage-load of people being hurled into the abyss courtesy of the Big One. Well whatever floats your boat.

The past couple of years have unquestionably altered the landscape as regards novel experiences. Heck it felt like novelty enough just to be able to nip into Herons and grab a cheese and onion butty without needing to wear a facemask the other day: And don’t get me started on the whole facemaskdonning thing. My sister finally managed to find me one which didn’t require me to take my hearing-aids out every time - huge relief, and improvement. However, I still couldn’t get the thing on unaided on account of being unable to bend my elbows, so unable to reach the back of my head: I know, I’m just plain awkward. Anyway, the faffing about this occasioned would’ve been hilarious but for the fag of it. I’d end up with the mask round my neck, atop my head, covering my eyes, halfway up my left nostril, you name it, before we got it in the right place, whoever was assisting me getting ever more frantic as we neared our destination. Getting back to the point however, it IS great both to be able to move around freely, and see attractions, pubs, restaurants, - anything really - back open again. Abandoning the spectacle of the Big One, we wandered onto South Pier, and watched people bungee-jumping over the sea, and riding carousel horses, and dodgems, the latter two transporting me back to another era.

The following weekend, we returned to Burnside for the first time in a couple of years, and whiled away a pleasant morning revelling in gorgeous flowers, gawping at impressive coy carp, and coveting choice garden furniture. Then we headed to my parents’ – where my dad roasted a pheasant, and we watched a cracking match between Wigan and Saint Helens. Like you do.

As for the Jubilee, I couldn’t have been more ready - or at least in spirit. Turned out I was too late for the miles of bunting, and red, white, and blue cupcakes I’d had half an idea of getting. Or then again maybe not: Over the course of the weekend, I was surprised how many places had chosen to recognize the event like Scrooge recognized Christmas. There wasn’t so much as a streamer in the Houndshill on Thursday, while in Cleveleys on Saturday, the main exponents of festive decoration seemed to be the charity shops. Surely a missed opportunity. Did people think the next Platinum Jubilee’d be along with the next No. 7 bus?

By contrast, it was pleasing to see the comedy carpet dotted with striped deckchairs as people waited for live entertainment, charming Swiss chaletstyle huts offering giant hotdogs, and Eton mess. Was almost sorry I’d just had a lemon muffin in Café Nero, another treat I’d not enjoyed in a year or two.

Besides lemon cake, my own jubilee included sunshine and strolls, rain and scrabble, go-karts, flags, and the letting off of red, white, and blue party poppers. I’m sorry it’s over, and am now waiting for the next royally good, and novel diversion from routine everyday life: Perhaps we could have a Wimbledon winner for Platinum Jubilee year such as my namesake provided for the silver. OK, I’ll not hold my breath.