At the hunter-gatherer's camp
How did they live?
These people lived by hunting and fishing and by gathering plant foods, such as nuts, wild fruit and berries.
They lived in small mobile groups, moving about the countryside and using resources as they became available at different times of year.
Groups would come together occasionally to form 'base camps' - usually situated to take advantage of seasonal plenty, such as the salmon runs on the rivers or the autumn crop of hazelnuts.
Our group has recently discovered what may be the site of one of these larger ‘base camps’ by the Tweed at Innerleithen.
Reconstructing a 10,000 year old lifestyle
Artefacts made from stone are almost indestructible and that is why they are so important to the archaeologist.
But stone tools are only part of the story. Prehistoric people would also have used a wide range of organic materials - such as wood, bone or skin - to make their tools and equipment. These materials rarely survive.
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Artist’s impressions of a Mesolithic camp near a river - and a successful fisherman! Drawings by Alan Braby.
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In order to imagine the lifestyle of the earliest settlers in the Tweed valley, we have to think about all the evidence that has not survived the ravages of decay and time…
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