Where are we going? Movement and Mobility in Mesolithic Research

Thomas Kador

UCD School of Archaeology, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. thomas.kador@ucd.ie

Cite this as: Kador, T. 2007 Where are we going? Movement and Mobility in Mesolithic Research, Internet Archaeology 22. https://doi.org/10.11141/ia.22.2

Summary

In this article I will discuss some of the most dominant approaches to early prehistoric, and in particular mesolithic movement and mobility. After outlining the significance of mobility studies to mesolithic research I shall briefly review the most commonly employed models of mobility, including some of their greatest problems and shortcomings. As a way forward I will then offer an alternative approach, based on an integrated study of lithic artefacts within a landscape perspective. To test and illustrate this approach I will present three brief case studies from different parts of Ireland.

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Features

This article will appeal to; anyone with an interest in the early prehistory of northwest Europe, lithic artefact studies and landscape approaches to small scale evidence and everyday activities in the past.
Key Features: Mobility models, alternative approach to early prehistoric movement based on lithics in a landscape context, three Irish case studies from the Barrow Valley, Waterford Harbour and the Glens of Antrim
Keywords: Mesolithic; hunter-gatherer; movement; mobility; models; determinism; lithic artefacts; daily life; landscape approaches; Ireland;

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