Re: Calling Mr Hamhead | Forum — The Modern Antiquarian

Carn Brea 1

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Calling Mr Hamhead

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FourWinds Apr 14, 2007 14:42:57

Replying to Hob

No I didn't spot that. I have considered that bullauns were used for ore crushing rather than food preparation, as some (ridiculously in my opinion) suggest*.

Pigment preparation is another option - they could be the Neolithic/Bronze Age equivalent of those funky paint mixing machines in B&Q.

* I know that something similar was still in use in the Shetlands in the early 1900s, but I think this was more likely to be a re-use rather than an original use.

Hob Apr 16, 2007 21:58:02

Replying to FourWinds

The idea that big cups are connected with metal production would sort of fit with the suggestions that they are often found near areas of ore mining. Those suggestions were made in reference to more usual cup and ring stuff. not basins/bullauns. But then mebbe that's 'cos no-one's looked.

FourWinds wrote:

Pigment preparation is another option - they could be the Neolithic/Bronze Age equivalent of those funky paint mixing machines in B&Q.

Yeah, I sometimes wonder about that, but mostly in reference to cups on portable stones.There's a small portable in the museum on Arran, with 3 (4?) cups, found in a hillfort. The cups seemed to have pigment inside, but that could have been a later addition, in the way cups used to get painted to 'highlight' the motifs. Irritatingly, I can't find my photo of the stone in question.