Craft Theory in Prehistory: Case Studies from the Mesolithic of Britain and Ireland

Abstract

This paper reflects critically on the use of the term ‘craft’ within prehistoric archaeology and its recent rise to prominence within a variety of analytical contexts. Having briefly evaluated the way in which prehistorians employ craft, it moves on to consider the potential value that Craft Theory, a growing interdisciplinary body of literature relating to practices of making, might hold for thinking about prehistoric material culture within an archaeological context. Three case studies originating from Mesolithic Britain and Ireland are used as a vehicle to explore some of this potential in practice, before a broader discussion reflects on these initial efforts and sketches out other areas of interest for future research. The picture which emerges from this discussion is one of promise, within which prehistorians simultaneously draw from, and contribute towards, the ongoing interdisciplinary debates on craft in contemporary society.

Mesolithic cross-crafting

“…The present study purposes to start addressing this knowledge gap. The use of experimental approaches remains limited in Norwegian Mesolithic research, and current studies are restricted to either lithic or osseous raw materials (for example Eigeland 2007Eigeland , 2015Damlien 2015;Mansrud and Kutschera 2020). Bone and stone technologies were, however, fundamentally entangled during this period -stone tools were used for making bone objects and bone retouching tools were involved in stone tool manufacture (Bergsvik and David 2015;David and Sørensen 2016;Gummesson et al 2017).…”

“…In south-eastern and south-western Norway flint was consistently acquired and used by middle Mesolithic groups -perhaps not merely because this material is "good to knap" (Eigeland 2015), but because it was invaluable for modifying bones and creating significant hunting and fishing equipment. Yet, as shown, the blade edges quickly become blunt and worn out.…”