More than 1,200 Mesolithic worked stone tools dating back to around 6,000–10,000 years ago have been found alongside the River Dee in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
The flints — which include blades, scrapers and waste material — were collected by volunteers with archaeology group Mesolithic Deeside from 13–17 March this year.
Experts explained that the tools would have been used in some early communities to butcher, kill and make food for animals.
One member of the group, an Aberdeen student, found a part of a Neolithic age, egg-shaped macehead during the “fieldwalking” exercise.
Building on these finds, the group will be conducting a ‘test pitting’ — digging a series of small trenches — at the Milton of Crathes from November 11–14.
The archaeologists won’t just be looking for more flints; they will also examine aerial survey maps to determine if there are any features that could indicate the existence of an old settlement.
Geologists will join the group to examine the river terrace’s ground for signs of flooding in the past.
More than 1,200 Mesolithic worked stone tools dating back to around 6,000–10,000 years ago (some of which are pictured) have been found alongside the River Dee in Aberdeenshire
The flints — which include blades, scrapers and waste material — were collected by volunteers with archaeology group Mesolithic Deeside from 13–17 March this year. Pictured is an example of flint scattered that volunteers discovered along the River Dee.
According to experts, these tools were used in an early area community for killing, butchering, and preparing animals for food or other purposes. One member of the group, an Aberdeen student, found parts of a Neolithic age, egg-shaped, macehead during the “fieldwalking” exercise.
Each bag of flint collected by the group includes a GPS provenance tag, an analysis by specialist, and information that can be compiled into a database. This makes the Dee one the most widely studied river for flint deposit in Scotland. A map showing all the fieldwalks taken by the group in March 2021. These icons indicate the types of flint.
Mesolithic Deeside chair and archaeologist Alison Cameron told the MailOnline that the long and varied nature of the River Dee would have provided the inhabitants of the region 6,000–10,000 with everything that they needed to live. A flint taken from the River Dee
Mesolithic Deeside chair and archaeologist Alison Cameron told the MailOnline that the long and varied nature of the River Dee would have provided the inhabitants of the region 6,000–10,000 with everything that they needed to live.
She explained that this is the reason why there’s so much “flint scatter” today along riverbanks fields. It’s a sign of where stone tools were made.
The group meticulously bags and tags every flint they find, then sends it off to an expert for analysis. Once the specialist has analyzed the data, the database is created.
Coinciding with the dig this week, Mesolithic expert Caroline Wickham-Jones and her fellow group members have compiled a dossier on their discoveries to date, which will be published in Scottish Archaeological Internet Reports.
The group — which was launched in 2017 and has some 50 members — is funded in part by the Aberdeenshire Council and the King George V Wind Turbine Trust.
Interested members of the public are welcome to volunteer in this week’s excavations at the Milton of Crathes — such as by helping the dig itself and sorting the finds — or to simply visit to see what the group has uncovered.
‘If visiting the site may be very muddy so wear sensible shoes or wellies!’, said Alison Cameron.
‘The work of Mesolithic Deeside has made a real contribution to our understanding of the prehistoric communities who lived along the Dee,’ said archaeologist Caroline Wickham-Jones, formerly of the University of Aberdeen.
‘Fieldwalking is fun but was obviously impacted by lockdown and they have worked hard to keep group members enthused.’
Aberdeenshire regional archaeologist Bruce Mann agreed, adding: ‘The volunteers of Mesolithic Deeside have contributed so much to our understanding of early prehistory in this part of the world through their fieldwalking.’
Caroline Wickham Jones, a Mesolithic specialist, and her group have created a dossier of their most recent discoveries, in conjunction with this week’s dig. This will be published by Scottish Archaeological Internet Reports. Pictured: a flint found by the group in March
The group — which was launched in 2017 and has some 50 members — is funded in part by the Aberdeenshire Council and the King George V Wind Turbine Trust. Pictured: a Mesolithic Deeside volunteer admires a flint found during a fieldwalking exercise
‘I started fieldwalking with Mesolithic Deeside in 2018 and am now totally hooked,’ said Mesolithic Deeside volunteer Roslyn Hay. ‘The thrill of finding something that has been hidden in the soil, knowing that you are the first person to hold it since it was dropped thousands of years ago. You feel a connection with that person way back in prehistory. Pictured: two of the flints that the group found in fieldwalks back in March
‘I started fieldwalking with Mesolithic Deeside in 2018 and am now totally hooked,’ said Mesolithic Deeside volunteer Roslyn Hay.
‘I’ve learned so much and made so many new friends, with the added benefit of plenty of exercise and fresh air. We walk, we talk (a lot), and find wonderful things.
‘The thrill of finding something that has been hidden in the soil, knowing that you are the first person to hold it since it was dropped thousands of years ago. You feel a connection with that person way back in prehistory.
‘My most memorable find was a large blade. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it! It was confirmed as most probably from the Late Upper Palaeolithic.
‘Finds from this period, which predates the Mesolithic, are rare in Scotland, so this was a very exciting find for the group.’
‘When I started finding flints over 20 years ago, I could never have imagined contributing to such a massive project,’ said Mesolithic Deeside co-secretary and founding member Sheila Duthie. The group’s efforts, she added, are ‘without doubt broadening our understanding of prehistoric human activity on Deeside — it’s a blast!’ Pictured: some of the group’s finds
‘When I started finding flints over 20 years ago, I could never have imagined contributing to such a massive project,’ said Mesolithic Deeside co-secretary and founding member Sheila Duthie.
The group’s efforts, she added, are ‘without doubt broadening our understanding of prehistoric human activity on Deeside — it’s a blast!’
‘My ideal pastime is footerin in flat fields with fine folk finding flints, fair or foul!’ she exuberantly concluded.
More information on the upcoming test pitting can be found on the Mesolithic Deeside Facebook page.
Caroline Wickham Jones (formerly of University of Aberdeen) said that Mesolithic Deeside had made a substantial contribution to understanding prehistoric communities along the Dee. Pictured: a Mesolithic Deeside volunteer with one of the group’s flint finds back in March
Building on these finds, the group will be conducting a ‘test pitting’ — digging a series of small trenches — at the Milton of Crathes from November 11–14. In addition to searching for additional flints and investigating aerial survey maps, archaeologists may also look into possible remnants of settlements.
WHAT WAS THE MESOLITHIC PERIOD LIKE?
The Mesolithic Period or Middle Stone Age (8000 BC to 2700 AD) is an ancient time period that occurred between the Paleolithic Period of Old Stone Age (Chipped Stone Age), and the Neolithic Period of New Stone Age (Polished Stone Age).
Material culture in the Mesolithic is more innovative than that of Paleolithic.
Microliths, which are very small tools made from chipped stones and intended to be mounted on shafts in order create a serrated edge, were one of the latest types of chipped-stone tools. A few Mesolithic groups also had polished stone.
Northern European Mesolithic people, called Maglemosian’s, who lived around 6000BC left behind remnants of primitive huts and bark-covered floors.
Starr Carr is a Yorkshire location that has signs that at least four to five huts were there. It was home to around 25 people. These sites could have only been used on a temporary basis, according to evidence.
A representation of tribes who fished in the Mesolithic Period.
These flint tools were also discovered by aracheologists. These tools were often used to make composite tools, such as harpoons and arrows points.
Adzes, chisels, and needles made out of bone or antler were also used. Harpoons, pins, fish-hooks and spears with multiple prongs were also common. Club heads and other larger tools, made from ground stone, were also found.
The preservative abilities of bogs have preserved wooden structures well. The structures that were found included ax handles, paddles, and a dugout-canoe. Additionally, fishnets using bark fibre were created.
Some varieties of marsh plants were also used to hunt deer, as well as waterfowl and fish.