Folks,

Been reading through John Waddell's 'Prehistoric Archaeology of Ireland' (as
opposed
to skimming). Really fine book. One matter that did catch my eye, though, was
his
discussion of BA lunulae, and the links he makes between these, status and
trade/communications, and I'd like to get some comments from the assembled
masses
here.

The links begin, I guess, with his comments on the parallels between the designs
on
the Irish lunulae and somewhat later British amber & jet necklaces, the lunula
designs being somewhat like pictorial representations of the patterns of beads
in the
necklaces. However, the designs on the lunulae also correlate with typical
Beaker
period designs (hatched triangles, lozenges, lattices, zig-zags and chevrons).
Thus,
my first question. According to the current dating estimates for each of the
three
artefact types (Beaker, lunulae, necklaces) place them at different periods,
ordered
chronologically as I've listed them. The immediate question is how, if at all,
did
one influence the other, and this brings in the trade/communications issue. My
immediate reaction was to think 'Beaker designs copied by Irish and used on
lunulae,
which were then (in some cases, and attestably) exported to Britain, thus
bringing
the pattern, ie the combination of design elements, back to the place which
exported
them to Ireland, where they were transferred from a lunula setting to a bead
setting.'

There's no actual sureness about this so far as I can tell, but it does seem
initially to be not unreasonable. I'd like to get some feedback on the
plausibility
of this process.

Next point: Status. Waddell also notes that the appearance of lunulae suggests
the
creation and collection of specific object types and the collection of objects
in
specific materials (ie gold) as signs of the development of a sense of status
within
society being reflected in items with a social 'wow factor'. He also notes that
the
amber & jet necklaces which he's already parallelled with the lunulae are
interpreted
in this way in Britain, though no lunulae have been found - so far as we can
tell -
in prestige burial settings in Ireland. This seems fair enough, but it
immediately
begs several questions. First, do we not have similar symbols of status in
Ireland
from earlier periods - items of precious stones or metals, items which are
likely to
have been more ceremonial then utilitarian, items whcih are conspicuously
expensive?
A certain polished stone mace-head springs to mind immediately, for example.
Basically, why are these lunulae a big deal? Are there other artefacts of a
similar
date which support this idea, items which appear to have been similarly
prestigious,
or which reflect a society type in which we would expect the development of
goods
acting as symbols of power and prestige? What parallels do we have from
elsewhere in
Europe to support such a theory, and allow us look on this period in particular
as
one in which the creation of symbols of prestige is a key feature?

Finally, trade again. There's little doubt, I think, that sea trade and
communication
channels existed at this time, and throughout the bronze age (and neolithic at
least). What other signs of an exchange of goods, materials, and ideas between
Ireland on the one hand, and Britain and north west continental Europe do we
have
from this period? And remains of water craft? Any finds of boat parts (or whole
craft) of this period from north west Europe at all?

MAQQI