A peer-reviewed paper by a graduate of our MLitt in Archaeological Studies programme has been published in the EXARC Journal.
Andrew Fitches studied in 2021/22 – both online and in person at UHI Orkney.
The paper, Knowing the Drill: Investigating Mesolithic Perforation Technologies Through Experiment, Traceology, and Photogrammetry, was co-authored by our own Dr Ben Elliott and is based on Andrew’s MLitt thesis, which was also supervised by Ben.
It looks at the perforations drilled into Mesolithic red deer antler tools, in particular how they were made, using a series of experimental cases to compare with prehistoric examples.
By combining stone-age perforation techniques with state of the art photogrammetry, Andrew was able to make detailed comparisons between both the shapes and surface textures of these perforations, and produce guidelines for the identification of the precise techniques that were used to create the Mesolithic tools found in the archaeological record.
Speaking of the publication, Andrew explained: “It was great to have the opportunity to do something practical for my thesis, and while it was quite ambitious and a bit daunting to bring together the different elements of my research, none of which I had any prior experience in, I felt well supported throughout.
“Ben was an excellent supervisor, and there were also several other staff members and students who happily gave up their time to help me with different aspects of my work.”
He added: “My experience at UHI was overwhelmingly positive. All my lecturers were inspiring and knowledgeable but also kind and approachable.”
The EXARC Journal is the leading publication for those involved in experimental archaeology, interpretation and ancient technology. It features the latest developments in fieldwork, academic research, museum studies, living history interpretation and ancient technology.
