Not all that glitters is gold? Rock crystal in the Early British Neolithic at Dorstone Hill, Herefordshire, and the wider British and Irish context

Overton, Nick J., Healey, Elizabeth, Garcia Rovira, Irene, Thomas, Julian, Birchenall, Julie, Challinor, Dana, Hoverd, Tim and Ray, Keith 2023. Not all that glitters is gold? Rock crystal in the Early British Neolithic at Dorstone Hill, Herefordshire, and the wider British and Irish context. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 33 (1) , pp. 55-74. 10.1017/S0959774322000142

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Abstract

Evidence for working rock crystal, a rare form of water-clear type of quartz, is occasionally recovered from prehistoric sites in Britain and Ireland, however, very little has been written on the specific methods of working this material, and its potential significance in the past. This paper presents the first synthesis of rock crystal evidence from Britain and Ireland, before examining a new assemblage from the Early Neolithic site of Dorstone Hill, Herefordshire. This outlines a methodology for analysing and interpreting this unusual material, and, through comparison with the flint assemblage, examines the specific uses and treatments of this material. Far from being used to make tools, we argue the distinctive and exotic rock crystal was being used to create distinctive and memorable moments, binding individuals together, forging local identities, and connecting the living and the dead.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	History, Archaeology and Religion
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
ISSN:	0959-7743
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	11 April 2023
Date of Acceptance:	7 April 2022
Last Modified:	20 May 2023 08:04
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/158502

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