Homes from 11,000 years ago were more domesticated than once thought, according to University of York research.

Researchers from the University of York and the University of Newcastle examined microscopic evidence extracted from stone tools discovered within three structures from Starr Carr, in North Yorkshire.

The structures, which are more than 11,000 years old, could potentially have been cone or dome-shaped.

These studies revealed a variety of activities most likely taking place within the homes, ranging from work with materials such as bone, wood, plant and antler, to butchering animals and preparing fish.

By mapping the spatial patterns of these activities, the research team was able to determine where within the dwelling these activities occurred.

Dr Jess Bates, of the University of York’s Department of Archaeology, said: "We found that there were distinct areas for different types of activity, so the messy activity involving butchery, for example, was done in what appears to be a designated space, and separate to the ‘cleaner’ tasks such as crafting bone and wooden objects, tools or jewellery."

Dr Bates added that despite their need to periodically relocate in search of food, they demonstrated a seemingly ingrained sense of household management.

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She added that the findings "suggest that these dwellings didn’t just serve a practical purpose in the sense of having a shelter from the elements, but that certain social norms of a home were observed that are not massively dissimilar to how we organise our homes today".

Evidence from previous studies shows indications that these early dwellings were both tidy and organised, sometimes even being swept clean.

This led researches to believe there was an appreciation for cleanliness and order in addition to the distinct partitioning of space according to activities.

Star Carr holds crucial insights into early British habitats and some of the very first architectural constructs.

The structures discovered were thought to have been built using felled trees and possibly covered with materials such as reeds or animal hides.

Dr Bates added: "Not only do we now know that hunter-gatherers were constructing these dwellings, but they had a shared group understanding of how to organise tasks within them

"In modern society we are very attached to our homes both physically and emotionally, but in the deep past communities were highly mobile so it is fascinating to see that despite this there is still this concept of keeping an orderly home space.

"This study shows that micro-scale analysis can be a really exciting way of getting at the details of these homes and what these spaces meant to those who lived there."