By Bernie Bell
This really is just pretty much me blathering, but….it’s a thought….playing with ideas
I have a row of limpet shells on my desk…..
As my Broadband connection is wondrous slow, I while away the time waiting for things to happen by playing with my limpets – I shunt them back and forward like a train, move them around each other in a dance, stack them, balance them etc. etc.
It then occurred to me that maybe the Neolithic/Bronze Age/Iron Age children played with limpet shells too?
Though there are many archaeological excavations in Orkney – we don’t see many objects turning up which could be considered to be toys. Maybe they were made of wood and rotted away? I suspect the Westray Wifie ……
…….of being a toy – but those as knows might dispute that. http://www.orkneyjar.com/archaeology/linksofnoltland/venus.htm
And maybe the ‘Nine Little Figurines’ found in Finstown??? Maybe a bit less likely – but – maybe???…..….
A dearth of toys at archaeology digs – but all cultures, all peoples, all over the world have toys.
Children make toys for themselves from unlikely things – bits of rubbish become horses, dollies, carts. They are endlessly inventive as children, and grown-ups, are who don’t have much in the way of material possessions.
Even when lack of material wealth isn’t relevant, the expensive Christmas present is often ignored while the child plays with the box it arrived in – turning it into a castle.
So – limpet shells as toys? Why not? I get entertainment out of them. Though I am easy pleased.