YAHS Prehistory Research Section
The Prehistory Research Section of the Yorkshire Archaeological & Historical Society (YAHS) is devoted to bringing the prehistoric past of Yorkshire alive for the public through its programme of meetings, lectures, trips, exhibitions, conferences, publications, etc. and through its annual publication, the Prehistory Research Section Bulletin.
Established in 1936, the Section seeks:
- to bring together all who are interested in the prehistoric archaeology of Yorkshire,
- to disseminate knowledge of the county’s prehistory through lectures, conferences, field research, site-visits and publications,
- to promote the study of Yorkshire’s prehistoric past.
Scope
The earliest evidence of human occupation in Yorkshire goes back to around 125,000 years ago, but it is only from around 10,000 BC, at the end of the last Glacial period, that continuous occupation occurred.
The county’s ability to attract human settlement is demonstrated by a wealth of sites and finds. These extend from the early hunter/gatherer sites of the Mesolithic, to the activities of the first farmers, with their various ceremonial monuments and the wide range of burial evidence from the late Neolithic/ Earlier Bronze Age. The intensification of settlement during the Later Bronze Age/Early Iron Age then led to large scale land division in the Later Iron Age.
The potential for field investigation is vast and requires the participation of all interested – whether they be amateur or professional.
Our Activities
Our programme usually consists of :
- Lecture meetings are held on Saturday afternoons in December and March in Leeds
- A Day Conference is organised in the Spring and/or Autumn, at a centre outside Leeds, often as a joint meeting with a local society, to study a particular area/ topic.
Contact details
Email: prehistory@yas.org.uk
Web: http://www.prehistory.yas.org.uk