Mesolithic Boats
The Amesbury History Centre displays an experimental Mesolithic hide boat alongside exhibits from the nearby Blick Mead excavation site. Blick Mead is recognized as Britain's oldest continuously occupied settlement, providing a rare glimpse into the Mesolithic communities who lived and hunted along the River Avon.
The experimental craft is created from evidence of similar archaeological remains of boats built during this period, such as Bouldnor Cliff on the Isle of Wight and West Zealand in Denmark. Their uses would likely have included hunting, fishing, trading, exchanges of goods and migration.
These hide boats have been shown to be used in rivers, marshes and deeper waters. Other examples of boats have been dugout log boats such as those found in Denmark.
Similar use of boats.
The Mesolithic Period is often referred to as 'Middle Stone Age' or 'Middle Stone' -
about 10,000 years to 6,000 years ago.
It was a time when people were 'hunter gatherers' when people tended to move around the landscape, utilising resourcefully, rather than settle permanently in it. Many people lived close to water or coastal areas.
Change developed due to earlier weather/ climate patterns causing the world's sea levels to rise and significant growth of forests. Boats became a valuable asset for fishing in the seas, rivers and marshes as well as for carrying cargo.
Tools developed during the period enabled production of such crafts:
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Microliths (tiny chips of stone set into bone or wood)
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Axes made from larger flints attached to wood
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Bone, antlers and wood, combined with stone, made harpoons, arrows and fish hooks.
An Experimental Mesolithic Hide Boat - Construction
The Hide boat was made by Peter Faulkner, a notable builder with many years of experience, supported by Julian Piercey, who undertook the work for his MA in Archaeology at the University of Buckingham. Notably Julian has continued his studies towards a PhD with the University of Buckingham.
The actual shape was constructed by placing hazel wands 20cm into the ground to create the shape. Willow was then woven around these ribs forming the upper edge of the sides of the boat (gunwales).
Hazel wands were bent over and fitted into place to constitute the ribs of the boat. At the top of the gunwales, to prevent the hazel wands from tearing the hide, split hazel was used to cover the wand ends. Though this process was quite difficult, it greatly the frame of the boat. The process had to be repeated on each of the ends of the paired ribs and longitudinal spine.
River Trials
Julian and Peter took the boat out on the River Clun in Leintwardine, Shropshire in June 2019.
The boat was found to be easily manoeuvrable, required less than 15cm water to float and could be turned on its own length. With its weight being only 58kg, (about the weight of a large television) it transpired it could be carried short distances by its crew of two.
The next part of the experiment was to take the boat up the Wiltshire River Avon from Blick Mead to Woodhenge. The experiment was to assess the boat's ability to carry cargo of 150kg, to imitate the load of an average wild boar (75 - 100kg). 4 bags of aggregate (stones) were used.
When fully laden (approximately 260kg) the canoe sat about 3cm lower in the water and was found to be more stable. It was just as easy to handle and it was felt with proper loading the canoe would probably take another 100kg.
It should be acknowledged that both Julian and Peter were considerably heavier than people living in the Mesolithic period.
A further 40kg of cargo might have been possible, making the simple canoe carry a crew of two people, and nearly a quarter of a tonne of goods (a grizzly bear or a motorbike).
Overall, the experiment proved to be highly successful. Hide, hazel and willow for the construction, shaped using flint and bone tools, could all have been found within a short distance of Blick Mead. The finished canoe performed better than Julian and Peter could have hoped for in every respect.