The Meso-what? The public perception of the Mesolithic

研究背景最近对星卡尔中石器时代早期遗址的研究提供了一些重要的新发现，包括大约公元前9500年挖掘出的“英国最早的房子”。房子的结构应该非常靠近一个古老的湖岸，在这个湖的边缘有一个巨大的木制平台的证据，它是用劈开并凿成的木材制成的：这是欧洲木工工作的最早证据。这项研究让英国大学和科学部部长大卫·威利茨说：“这一令人兴奋的发现将世界级的研究与我们祖先的生命结合在一起。它以一种引人入胜的方式揭示了现代生活和古代生活的异同，并将永远改变我们的看法。我祝贺研究团队，并期待着他们未来的发现。“这些发现具有国际意义，世界各地的考古学家都知道这个遗址，但当地人大多不知道。”过去两年在斯卡伯勒进行的调查显示，在接受调查的当地人中，平均只有不到7%的人听说过这个网站；在当地、国家和国际报纸、电视和广播广泛报道后，今年听说过这个网站的人不到5%！它已经成为Star Carr项目的重要组成部分，向区域内外更广泛的公众传播关于中石器时代的成果和更广泛的信息。该项目将把这项研究与约克考古信托基金(YAT)的专业知识联系起来，YAT在参与公众方面具有丰富的经验，其核心目标是调查过去，造福于现在的社区和子孙后代，并以一系列创新和动态的方式传播结果。目标和目标该项目的目的是确定和实施最佳实践，以提高公众对中石器时代的理解，以Star Carr为例，其目标如下：1.批判性地评价向公众展示中石器时代的方式2。确定和实施向公众传播中石器研究的有效方法。衡量活动对公共价值的影响效益该项目将使学术界受益，作为如何从学术研究中提供公共价值的案例研究。该项目还应通过以各种方式传播星际卡尔的研究活动，提供一系列公共利益。重要的是要让学童参与进来，并找到在课程中使用中石器时代的方法。该项目的另一个方面是考虑如何将Facebook、Twitter、应用程序、播客/Vodcast等现代技术和社交网络用作吸引观众的方式，以及如何使用更传统的方法，如演讲、研讨会、传单和散步。对中石器时代研究的公开传播应为区域经济以及更广泛的文化和社会效益提供财政利益。

Context of the researchRecent research at the Early Mesolithic site of Star Carr has provided some important new discoveries including the excavation of 'Britain's earliest house' dating to about 9500 BC. The 'house' structure would have been very close to the shore of an ancient lake, and on the edges of this lake there is evidence of a large wooden platform made of timbers which have been split and hewn: the earliest evidence of carpentry in Europe. This research led Universities and Science Minister, David Willetts, to say: 'This exciting discovery marries world-class research with the lives of our ancestors. It brings out the similarities and differences between modern life and the ancient past in a fascinating way, and will change our perceptions forever. I congratulate the research team and look forward to their future discoveries.'These discoveries are internationally significant and the site is well known to archaeologists around the world, however, local people are largely unaware of it. Surveys carried out in Scarborough over the last 2 years have revealed that on average less than 7% of the local people questioned had heard of the site; less than 5% this year following extensive media coverage in local, national and international newspapers, television and radio! It has become an important part of the Star Carr project to disseminate the results of the work as well as broader information about the Mesolithic to a wider public audience, in the region, but also beyond.The project will link this research with the expertise of York Archaeological Trust (YAT) who have extensive experience in engaging the public and whose core aim as a charity is to investigate the past for the benefit of present communities and future generations and to disseminate results in a number of innovative and dynamic ways.Aims and objectivesThe aim of the project is to identify and implement best practice for improving public understanding of the Mesolithic period using Star Carr as a case study, with the following objectives:1. To critically evaluate the ways in which the Mesolithic is presented to the public2. To identify and implement effective ways of disseminating Mesolithic research to the public3. To measure the impact of activities on public valueBeneficiariesThe project will be of benefit to the academic community as a case study into how to provide public value from academic research. The project should also provide a range of public benefit through dissemination of research activities at Star Carr in a variety of ways. It is considered important to engage school children and to find ways in which the Mesolithic can be used in the curriculum. Another aspect of the project is to consider how modern technology and social networking such as facebook, twitter, apps, podcasts/vodcasts, can be used as ways to engage audiences as well as more traditional methods such as talks, workshops, leaflets and walks. The public dissemination of Mesolithic research should provide financial benefits for regional economies as well as cultural and social benefits more widely.