Leiden University Student Repository

Paré, Cesco (2018)

Analyzing the effectivity of toolkits for the construction of dugout canoes, with a focus on the Mesolithic period in Northwestern Europe

Master thesis | Archaeology (MA/MSc)

Part of the abstract of the thesis: "The research that is presented is based on an experimental construction of a dugout canoe at the experimental-archaeological center Horsterwold (NL) in 2015. A team of both experts and students constructed a dugout canoe made of lime wood in a few weeks time. The team used tools based on Mesolithic examples excavated in the Netherlands. Three groups of tools (toolkits) can be distinguished from the tools used to hollow out and shape the dugout canoe: tools made from antler, bone, and flint. The dugout canoe was constructed based on an example excavated at the site of Hardinxveld-Giessendam De Bruin, which has been dated to the Late Mesolithic. The dataset for the research presented here is the documented effectivity of the tools during the experiment. A preference for using tools made of organic material (antler and bone) above those made of inorganic material (flint) was noticed during the construction of the dugout canoe.

experimental archaeology

mesolithic

northwestern Europe

dugout canoes

toolkit effectivity

material culture

Author

Paré, Cesco

Faculty

Faculty of Archaeology

Specialisation

Material Culture Studies

Supervisors

Revello Lami, Martina

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en