Prehistoric finds
People have lived in Merseyside for around 10,500 years, but archaeological evidence for the prehistoric people living their lives here is relatively scant. These finds from our collection help give a picture of what their lives were like.
Image: Reconstruction of the Calderstones neolithic (new stone age) burial monument
Prehistoric sites in Merseyside
A few excavated sites such as Lunt Meadows, Greasby and Irby reveal the hunter-gatherer lifestyles of people living in the region in the mesolithic (middle stone age) period.
By the neolithic (new stone age) period we know that people are clearing woodland and creating fixed markers on the landscape, like the Calderstones tomb, the subject of a new book which will be published soon.
The importance of finds
Much of the evidence about the people living in Merseyside in the prehistoric period come from chance finds. The discovery of tools such as arrowheads and axes points to the areas of most activity, and the ways that they’re obtaining food and materials. From the earliest mesolithic people using chert and flint to make arrows, blades and knives to help with hunting and gathering for food - to the neolithic and bronze age people who are using axes to clear woodland to enable farming – individual finds tell a story of people using the landscape and natural resources throughout prehistory.
Reporting finds
Amazing objects are being found every day. We host the Portable Antiquities Scheme Finds Liaison Officer who records finds over 250 years old. Find out more, including how you can report a find on the Portable Antiquities Scheme page.