A portable object in motion - Complex layers of meaning embedded in an ornamented sandstone Object from the Late Mesoltihic site of Brunstad (Norway)

Abstract

This contribution deals with an ornamented and pierced sandstone tablet found at the Late Mesolithic coastal site of Brunstad (Vestfold/Norway) in 2013. The delicately incised decoration comprise net-, wave-, and pigtail-patterns on both sides, as well as an anthropomorphic or fish figure. While the combination of the object’s form, material, and decoration is unique, each of the three aspects have parallels in Middle and Late Mesolithic cultural traditions. Stylistically, the decorative motifs are similar to other pieces of portable ‘art‘ known from the Middle and Late Mesolithic periods, while the material resembles sandstone knives known from Norwegian sites. However, it is difficult to determine the function of the object. Through a visual analysis of the object, and with the help of the RTI technology, changes in the object’s form and decoration can be observed. These changes indicate several layers of meaning that are imbedded in the Brunstad object, and can be interpreted with regard to aspects of the object’s changing meaning over time, mobility, and social contexts in which it was used.