TV’s Time Team archaeologists focusing on Yorkshire’s ‘Stone Age’ hunters

Presenter Tony Robinson and a film crew joined researchers led by Dr Nicky Milner, of York University’s department of archaeology, at an excavation at Flixton Island, an early Mesolithic (middle stone age) site near Star Carr, five miles south of Scarborough.

Star Carr is where, in 2010, archaeologists from York and Manchester universities announced the discovery of Britain’s earliest surviving house dating back to 9,000 BC.

Now, thanks to a £1m grant from the European Research Council, a large team of researchers are using new techniques to gain a better understanding of how hunter-gatherers who lived at the site adapted to climatic and environmental change between 10,000 and 8,000 BC.

Dr Milner said: “It has been very exciting to work with Time Team and use our research at Lake Flixton to show what life would have been like in the Mesolithic period.

“We are very lucky to have such exciting sites in Yorkshire which provide a wealth of important and rare information about our past. We are very keen to share this knowledge locally.”

The Time Team filmed department of archaeology researchers analysing the finds from Star Carr and Flixton Island in laboratories in York. The show is due to be broadcast in next year,

Kate Edwards, of Time Team, said: “We have thoroughly enjoyed filming with Dr Milner and the archaeological team at Flixton Island.

“Star Carr is an internationally important site so it has been thrilling for us to see the work the team is doing there and to follow some of their exciting results.”

The discovery of Britain’s earliest surviving house came when the research team unearthed the 3.5 metres circular structure on what were the banks of the ancient lake. They also excavated a well preserved 11,000-year-old tree trunk with its bark still intact and the earliest evidence of carpentry in Europe.

Last year Star Carr was designated a scheduled monument for its rarity and archaeological importance.

Archaeologists will hold a Star Carr festival at Woodend, The Crescent, Scarborough on Sunday, September 23. Info at www.starcarr.com