Track the human story from the Paleolithic era to the Iron Age through unique objects at the Yorkshire Museum. This display features remarkably preserved bone harpoons, elk antler tools, and birch bark rolls. Experience how Yorkshire’s earliest ancestors lived by combining these archaeology pieces with digital technology, film, and sound.
Read curatorial context and practical visitor information for After the Ice: Yorkshire’s Prehistoric People at Yorkshire Museum in York
This exhibition explores the story of Yorkshire from its earliest beginnings until the arrival of the Romans. Visitors can discover a wide range of archaeological material and scientific specimens that provide insight into ancient life, including significant finds from the Mesolithic site of Star Carr.
After the Ice: Yorkshire’s Prehistoric People offers a comprehensive look at the region’s rich heritage, tracking the human story from the Paleolithic era to the Iron Age. The exhibition highlights the importance of the Mesolithic site of Star Carr, considered one of the most significant in Europe. Through remarkably preserved artifacts such as bone harpoons, elk antler tools, and birch bark rolls, the display provides a tangible connection to the people who inhabited Yorkshire over 11,000 years ago. The exhibition integrates archaeological gems with specimens from the museum’s Natural Science collection to reconstruct the prehistoric landscape. By combining these physical objects with film, sound, and digital content, the exhibition helps visitors visualize and experience the environmental conditions and daily lives of Yorkshire’s earliest ancestors.
Admission information is available on the main Yorkshire Museum website. Visitors are encouraged to check the museum's general ticketing and opening hours pages to plan their visit to the gallery.
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