Research: Neolithic Era

This blog posts is the third out of the 5 that I will be completing regarding the different eras. I will be closely examining the Neolithic era and different facts that can help influence my designs.

The Neolithic era, just like the other eras, has Greek origins. It comes from the word 'Neo' which means 'new' and 'lithic' which means 'stone', thus making this era The New Stone Age. 

This is the era where people shifted from hunting to agriculture. They were specifically interested in planting and creating a farming lifestyle. 

In this era, the people started creating pottery and they started to permanently resident somewhere, without moving from place to place. 

'The Neolithic 2 began around 8800 BCE and is characterized by settlements built with rectangular mud-brick houses with single or multiple rooms, the greater use of domesticated animals, and advancements in tools. These developments in architecture point to settlement in permanent locations. While mud brick is perishable, the investment of time and effort in the construction of houses indicates the desire to remain in a single location for the long term. Burial findings and the preservation of skulls of the dead, often plastered with mud to create facial features, suggest an ancestor cult.' (lumen learning, n.d.)

'At the start of the Neolithic, people began to grow domesticated wheat and barley crops and to herd new animals such as cows, pigs and sheep; they nonetheless seem to have continued to use wild resources, such as hunted deer or gathered wild berries, as well.' (university of reading, n.d.)

Ceramic pottery started by using very plain and simple designs, and slowly escalated to becoming more decorative. This improved their lifestyle and helped them store food and cook more easily. They could also exchange social messages through their pottery and the decoration of it.

Example of Halafian pottery: These were produced by specialist potters. Some were painted with geometric and animal motifs.

The neolithic era was also known for its construction. They built long barrows (tombs) and causewayed enclosures (large ceremonial meeting places). The tombs were used for bodies to decompose and they often had skeletal remains of many people. The causewayed enclosures were used to meet people and sometimes used as camps. Feasting was also taking place in the enclosures. 

Stone circles

Stonehenge: Salisbury Plain, England., n.d.

During the late neolithic period, there were more monuments created in parts of Britain, some of which include the stone circles and stonehenge which are seen in the picture. It is possible that rituals and religious focus was revolved around such monuments.

In the Neolithic era, people polished their tools. During the paleolithic and mesolithic era, they did not have advanced and sharp tools. The stone axes in the neolithic era made them more visually pleasing and more functional. It was a very big advancement at the time that helped them hunt better. Another common stone tool from this era was the flint blade, the arrowhead and the scraper. Incredible skills were used to create such tools. 

Conclusions:

Just like the previous posts, I discussed multiple elements that could be used in my own designs as inspiration. To summarise, I will try and make some links with how I can develop my initial ideas of one of the lamps based on this research.

Links to my own design:

1. I can use inspiration from their farming and agriculture. Perhaps create shapes that resemble farming or make a lamp for outside purposes. Or use their brick layered houses for inspiration.
2. Use their pottery as a primary inspiration. I can examine the shapes and patterns they used and add them to my own designs. 
3. Inspiration from monuments such as the stone circles.
4. Use axes, flint blade, the arrowhead and the scraper as inspiration. 
5. Study the tombs or the ceremonial meeting places and use that as an inspiration.

I think focusing on pottery for this design of lamp is crucial as it really enhanced and changed their lifestyle. I can create a lamp using clay and the decoration patterns of that era.

This era was greatly developed from the mesolithic era. I have to show the development and advancement of the era in my designs too. In my primary research, most people liked the elegant style of lamp. I could make the paleolithic and mesolithic lamps abstract and bulky and then make this one more elegant to show the development. People started using pottery and more sharp and define tools, therefore, I can convey this message using a more defined structured design. In the Neolithic era, they started using pottery, which is the main difference from the other eras. Therefore, I think that will be my primary inspiration.

References:

Lumen Learning (n.d.) The Neolithic Period. Available at: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-arthistory/chapter/the-neolithic-period/  [Accessed: 03/05/21]

University of Reading (n.d.) What was life like in the Neolithic Period. Available at: https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/archaeology/0/steps/15256 [Accessed: 03/05/21]