'Strike a light' stone
Not recorded
A large, slightly flattened roughly circular pebble with one end
sheared off known as a "strike a light". This would have been
struck against a fragment of iron pyrites to produce a spark.
"Strike-a-lights" were often worn or abraded at one or both
ends. Mesolithic peoples have left no trace of their cooking
techniques, but food did not need to be eaten raw. Fire could be
made in two ways, either by striking together lumps of iron pyrites
and flint to produce sparks, or by setting an upright stick into a
hole in a horizontal piece of timber and spinning it rapidly,
perhaps with a bow drill. Smouldering embers were transferred to
dry grassess, kindling, and finally a fire. It is likely that once
alight, fires were carefully transferred from hearth to hearth
rather than allowed to go out.
Object no :
RPD0011
Collection :
Creator :
NA
Place of Production :
NA
Dimensions :
diameter: 80 mm depth: 35 mm
Materials :
Sandstone
Location :
Not recorded
Accession number :
1952.71
Copyright :
NA
