Identity and lifestyle. Stone Age problems in the present day.

The lifestyle of Stone Age humans has become topical in connection with so-called Stone Age diets. To what extent does the current idea match the reality and how can one archaeologically interpret the identity and lifestyle patterns of Stone Age humans? These are some of the issues in this project.

Lifestyle oriented messages based on the lifestyle of Stone Age humans are topical today, among other things because of the current interest in the Stone Age diet. Scientific research cannot point directly to a particular Stone Age diet, since the Stone Age was a very long period of time including many different kinds of diets. The will to show good examples is greater than the will to see dietary variations during the Stone Age.

The Stone Age human has become a lifestyle model, which the present project will problematise with the help of a close analysis of the archaeological discoveries from the Jonstorp area in northwestern Skåne as well as a more comprehensive discussion of the Scandinavian Stone Age. One starting point is to discuss the stereotypical Stone Age human. The stereotype is a well-known social representation of a category of people, presented in a way that everyone within a given culture can recognise. Well-established stereotypes are hard to change. The variations that can occur within a group of people are often ignored.

This project aims to analyse the stereotype in the archaeological reconstruction in which the Stone Age human represents large parts of human history. At the same time, there will be discussions on how we should relate to this stereotype and what ethical and political standpoints underlie it.