Beads & Pendant
Project Description
One very exciting discovery made during the recent excavations of Star Carr was the shale pendant, the only example of its kind in the British Mesolithic. Alongside this were the discoveries of perforated shale beads.
Replicating and exploring the material properties of shale has allowed researchers to understand better how the pendant and beads were made and what their possible uses were.
Project Outputs
The pendant analysis can be found here
There is also a chapter in Star Carr monograph about the beads and pendant which can be read for free here.
Also see our department Youtube video interviewing some of the Star Carr team about the pendant. Also have a look at our 'How to make bead' video below.
One of the main researchers involved in the study of the pendant and of the shale beads, Dr Andy Needham, has recieved a British Academy Early Career Research Fellowship (2019-22) to continue his study of Mesolithic artwork.
You can see Dr Needham's profile here.