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The pendant

The Star Carr pendant is a unique find. It is similar to the other Star Carr beads in that it is made of shale, but it is a different shape …

Finding the pendant

This is an additional video, hosted on YouTube. This short film shows Nicky on site explaining how the pendant was found in the lake edge deposits.

Evidence from other stones

As well as worked flint we also found a lot of stones on site. These do not occur naturally in peat which means that they have intentionally been brought here …

Flint tools at Star Carr

Flint is a sedimentary stone usually found as nodules in chalk. Flint can be a range of colours including black, grey, brown, green, orange or white. It usually has quite …

Dating the site

Understanding the dating of the site has always been a key issue in the interpretation of Star Carr. When did people live there and for how long? During the time …

The sad story of deterioration

The important sediments at Star Carr have recently deteriorated and Dr Kirsty High explains how this has happened. Further resources If you would like to find out more about the …

Understanding the sediments through cake

The sediments in the waterlogged deposits at Star Carr differ depending on the depth of the deposit. At the bottom we find the waterlogged organic mud which is saturated with …

Why has it all survived?

Star Carr is a special archaeological site for many reasons. One of these reasons is the amount of organic material that was found there, including artefacts like the antler headdresses …

How we excavate

As archaeologists we use different methods according to the type of site it is. At Star Carr we have waterlogged deposits and dry land deposits which require different techniques. Most …

The recent excavations

In this film, Nicky talks about some of the most important discoveries we have made during our recent excavations at Star Carr, from 2004-2015. Excavation of this more recent phase …

The Vale of Pickering Research Trust

No further excavations were undertaken at Star Carr until the 1980s, though in the 1970s some excavations took place in other locations around the ancient lake, most notably at Seamer …

Excavations at Star Carr

In 1949 Grahame Clark began his excavations at Star Carr. He brought with him mainly students from Cambridge, but a couple of local volunteers also worked with them. Post-war, the …