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Embellished Clothing in the Mesolithic Based on Finds from Two Cemeteries in Sweden

Larsson, Lars LU (2024) In New Approaches in Archaeology 3. p.239-246
Abstract
In two late Mesolithic cemeteries, dated to about 5000 bce, at Skateholm, Scania in Sweden, some graves were found that contained clothing decorations, mainly in the form of tooth beads but also other animal parts that were used as embellishments. These are perforated front teeth, mostly from red deer but also wild boar and on rare occasions from elk and aurochs. The tooth beads in female graves were primarily used in belts; in male graves, tooth beads also appear in headdresses. Amber beads were also used as adornments and remains of red ochre suggest that some parts of the clothing of both men and women were dyed red. There are further indications that feathers of various kinds may have been used for decorative purposes.
Abstract (Swedish)
In two late Mesolithic cemeteries, dated to about 5000 BCE, at Skateholm, Scania in Sweden, some graves were found that contained clothing decorations, mainly in the form of tooth beads but also other animal parts that were used as embellishments. These are perforated front teeth, mostly from red deer but also wild boar and in rare occasions from elk and aurochs. The tooth beads were in female graves primarily used in belts, and in male graves, tooth beads also appear in headdresses. Amber beads were also used as adornments and remains of red ochre suggest that some parts of the clothing of both men and women were dyed red. There are further indications that feathers of various kinds may have been used for decorative purposes.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
The Common Thread : Collected Essays in Honour of Eva Andersson Strand - Collected Essays in Honour of Eva Andersson Strand
series title
New Approaches in Archaeology
editor
Mannering, Ulla ; Nosch, Marie-Louise and Drewsen, Anne
volume
3
pages
8 pages
publisher
Brepols Publishers
ISBN
978-2-503-61277-5
DOI
10.1484/M.NAA-EB.5.141769
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6ab11817-9d42-44fa-986a-8f5fce00fcb1
date added to LUP
2025-02-01 15:48:39
date last changed
2025-04-04 14:08:02
@inbook{6ab11817-9d42-44fa-986a-8f5fce00fcb1,
  abstract     = {{In two late Mesolithic cemeteries, dated to about 5000 bce, at Skateholm, Scania in Sweden, some graves were found that contained clothing decorations, mainly in the form of tooth beads but also other animal parts that were used as embellishments. These are perforated front teeth, mostly from red deer but also wild boar and on rare occasions from elk and aurochs. The tooth beads in female graves were primarily used in belts; in male graves, tooth beads also appear in headdresses. Amber beads were also used as adornments and remains of red ochre suggest that some parts of the clothing of both men and women were dyed red. There are further indications that feathers of various kinds may have been used for decorative purposes.}},
  author       = {{Larsson, Lars}},
  booktitle    = {{The Common Thread : Collected Essays in Honour of Eva Andersson Strand}},
  editor       = {{Mannering, Ulla and Nosch, Marie-Louise and Drewsen, Anne}},
  isbn         = {{978-2-503-61277-5}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{239--246}},
  publisher    = {{Brepols Publishers}},
  series       = {{New Approaches in Archaeology}},
  title        = {{Embellished Clothing in the Mesolithic Based on Finds from Two Cemeteries in Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1484/M.NAA-EB.5.141769}},
  doi          = {{10.1484/M.NAA-EB.5.141769}},
  volume       = {{3}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}