Star Carr Stone Age treasures to go on display

Star Carr is a Mesolithic, or Middle Stone Age, site near Scarborough dating back almost 11,000 years

Antler headdresses, a decorated stone pendant and the world's oldest complete hunting bow are among the artefacts set to be displayed in a new exhibition

The items, some of which have never before been on public display, were unearthed during excavations at the world-famous Middle Stone Age site of Star Carr, near Scarborough.

Archaeologist Nicky Milner, from the University of York, who co-directed the excavation said “They are incredibly rare and I’m sure people will be fascinated to see such old objects which give us a glimpse into what life was like 11,000 years ago.”

The interactive exhibition, Star Carr: Life after the ice, is due to open on 22 March at the Yorkshire Museum.

Dozens of antler headdresses were found in the Star Carr excavation

Star Carr hit the headlines in 2010 when a circular Stone Age structure uncovered at the site was found to be Britain's oldest house, dating back to around 8,500 BC.

The new exhibition will showcase artefacts from the dig to reveal how people lived, cooked, worked and worshipped 11,000 years ago.

They also give an insight into a community facing extreme climate change after the first Ice Age.

Engraved shale pendants like this are extremely rare

Visitors will be immersed in the Star Carr site, that's often called the 'Stonehenge of the Mesolithic', through an interactive mural and soundscape.

A wider programme of events will run alongside the exhibition, including specialist lectures, weaving workshops and headdress-making sessions.

Children will also be able to follow the story of Star Carr through the eyes of a friendly dog who lived with the people by a large lake.

Adam Parker, Curator of Archaeology at the Yorkshire Museum added: "We hope the exhibition will challenge our thinking about how the people of the Mesolithic era lived.

"They were sophisticated with complex sets of beliefs and living in an area which was very different to North Yorkshire’s landscape of today.”

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