Unstan ware facts for kids
Unstan ware is the name archaeologists use for a special type of pottery made a very long time ago. People created this pottery during the Neolithic period, which was about 4,000 to 5,000 years ago. These pots were often elegant, shallow bowls with cool patterns just below the rim. The patterns were made using a technique called "stab-and-drag," where they poked and dragged a tool across the clay. Some bowls were plain and had round bottoms. To make the bowls stronger, people sometimes added tiny pieces of volcanic rock to the clay. They also used tools made of bone to rub the surfaces, making them shiny and waterproof.
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Where Unstan Ware Was Found
Unstan ware gets its name from the Unstan Chambered Cairn on the Mainland island of Orkney. This cairn is a great example of an ancient tomb built inside a round hill. The pottery was first discovered there in 1884.
Most Unstan ware has been found in old tombs, especially a type called Orkney-Cromarty tombs. These include famous places like the Tomb of the Eagles on South Ronaldsay, and Taversoe Tuick and Midhowe on Rousay.
Unstan Ware in Homes
Even though it was mostly found in tombs, Unstan ware has also been found in other places in Orkney. For example, it was found at an old farmstead called Knap of Howar on Papa Westray. More recent digs in Orkney show that Unstan ware was actually used in homes more often than experts first thought. This changed the idea that it was mainly found in tombs or in the Western Isles, like at a place called Eilean Domhnuill.
Unstan Ware and Grooved Ware
Some archaeologists believe that Unstan ware might have slowly changed into another pottery style called grooved ware. This idea came from looking at how pottery styles seemed to develop at an old settlement called Rinyo on Rousay.
However, some experts, like John Hedges, think that the people who made Unstan ware and the people who made grooved ware lived side-by-side for many centuries. This idea is called the "cultural coexistence" hypothesis. In this view, grooved ware is linked to the people who built the large tombs like Maeshowe.
Where Each Pottery Type Was Found
The two types of pottery were found in different areas of Orkney:
- Grooved ware is mostly found on Mainland, Sanday, and North Ronaldsay.
- Unstan ware is found on Mainland and the other islands, especially Rousay and Eday.
John Hedges explained that the ancient people of Orkney might have been divided into two main groups based on their pottery. He thought they might have come from different places but could still live together peacefully. He also noted that, apart from their pottery, there wasn't a big difference in their overall culture. This suggests that even with different pottery styles, they were part of one larger group across Orkney.
See also
- Prehistoric Orkney
- Ring of Brodgar
- Standing Stones of Stenness
- Maeshowe
- World Heritage Sites in Scotland
- Timeline of prehistoric Scotland
Images for kids
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Unstan ware from Taversoe Tuick.
