SAIR51 An Corran, Staffin, Skye: a Rockshelter with Mesolithic and Later Occupation
by Alan Saville, Karen Hardy, Roger Miket, and Torben Bjarke Ballin
with contributions by László Bartosiewicz, Clive Bonsall, Margaret Bruce, Stephen Carter, Trevor Cowie, Oliver Craig, Ywonne Hallén, Timothy G. Holden, N.W. Kerr, Jennifer Miller, Nicky Milner, and Catriona Pickard
and with illustrations by Alan Braby, Marion O'Neil, and Craig Angus
ISBN 978 1 908332 99 8
Published in September 2012 by The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, in association with The Council for British Archaeology and Historic Scotland, in Adobe Acrobat format. Available free of charge (see Terms & Conditions of Use).
Abstract
The An Corran rockshelter, on the north-east coast of the Trotternish peninsula, Skye, contained a series of shell midden and other deposits with evidence for human occupation from Mesolithic and later periods. A rescue investigation of the site in the winter of 1993-94, immediately prior to anticipated total destruction by rock-blasting for roadworks, included the excavation of a trench dug down to bedrock. A total of 41 separate contexts were identi-fied. Of these, 31 were recent or later prehistoric, the upper levels containing a series of hearths of recent date and an Iron Age copper-alloy pin. The lowest 10 layers were identified initially as Mesolithic on the basis of bone tool and lithic typology, but a series of 18 radiocarbon dates indicates they contain the residues of subsequent prehistoric activity as well. These layers consisted of several distinct areas of midden, below which there were two, possibly three, horizons which probably, based on the presence of broad blade microliths, represent Early Mesolithic activity. The midden layers also contained some human bones radiocarbon-dated to the Neolithic period. The rockshelter was located below an outcrop of baked mudstone and near a source of chalcedonic silica. Both these lithic raw materials were widely used during the Mesolithic as far away as the island of Rùm.
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Report content
| i | Title Page |
| iii | Table of Contents |
| v | List of Illustrations |
| vi | List of Tables |
| 1 | Abstract |
| 2 | Introduction |
| 2.1 | Discovery and prelude to the excavation |
| 2.2 | Excavation planning |
| 2.3 | Excavation strategy |
| 2.4 | The excavation |
| 2.5 | The contexts |
| 3 | Post-Excavation Analysis and Specialist Reports by Karen Hardy, Alan Saville, Roger Miket, and Torben Bjarke Ballin |
| 4 | The Lithic Artefacts by Karen Hardy, Alan Saville, and Torben Bjarke Ballin |
| 4.1 | Introduction |
| 4.2 | Raw material |
| 4.2.1 | Baked mudstone |
| 4.2.2 | Chalcedonic silica |
| 4.2.3 | Bloodstone and other raw materials |
| 4.2.4 | Distribution by context |
| 4.2.5 | Surface alteration |
| 4.3 | Weight |
| 4.4 | Reduction techniques |
| 4.5 | Refitting |
| 4.6 | The assemblage |
| 4.6.1 | Flakes and blades |
| 4.6.2 | Cores |
| 4.6.3 | Tools |
| 4.7 | Discussion of the lithic artefacts |
| 5 | Bone and Antler Artefacts by Alan Saville, with contributions by Ywonne Hallén and László Bartosiewics |
| 5.1 | Introduction |
| 5.2 | Bevel-ended tools |
| 5.3 | Points |
| 5.4 | Miscellaneous/unclassified worked pieces |
| 6 | The Copper-Alloy Pin by Trevor Cowie |
| 6.1 | Description |
| 6.2 | Discussion |
| 7 | Human Bone by Margaret Bruce (bone) and N W Kerr (teeth) |
| 7.1 | Introduction |
| 7.2 | Skull |
| 7.3 | Vertebral column |
| 7.4 | Ribs |
| 7.5 | Upper limb |
| 7.6 | Lower limb |
| 7.7 | Pathology |
| 7.8 | Number of individuals represented |
| 7.9 | Addendum |
| 8 | Vertebrate Remains by László Bartosiewics |
| 8.1 | Introduction |
| 8.2 | Preservation and recovery |
| 8.3 | Results |
| 8.4 | Discussion |
| 9 | The Marine Molluscs by Catriona Pickard and Clive Bonsall |
| 9.1 | Introduction |
| 9.2 | Procedures |
| 9.3 | Results - discussion and interpretation |
| 9.4 | Conclusions |
| 10 | Floation Samples by Timothy G. Holdenm, with contributions by Stephen Carter and Jennifer Miller |
| 10.1 | Introduction |
| 10.2 | Uncharred remains |
| 10.3 | Charred plant remains |
| 10.4 | Terrestrial snail shell |
| 10.5 | Vesicular fragments |
| 10.6 | Charcoal |
| 10.7 | Conclusions |
| 11 | Radiocarbon Dates by Alan Saville and Karen Hardy |
| 12 | Isotope Analyses by Nicky Milner and Oliver Craig |
| 12.1 | Introduction |
| 12.2 | Sampling and methods |
| 12.3 | Results |
| 12.4 | Discussion |
| 13 | General Discussion by Alan Saville and Karen Hardy |
| 14 | Conclusion by Alan Saville and Karen Hardy |
| 15 | Acknowledgements |
| 16 | References |
| 17 | Appendix One: Description of the Contexts by Roger Miket, Karen Hardy, and Alan Saville |
| 18 | Appendix Two: Worked Bone and Antler Artefacts Catalogue by Alan Saville |
Published by The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, in association with The Council for British Archaeology and Historic Scotland, in Adobe Acrobat format. Available free of charge (see Terms & Conditions of Use).
Use http://www.sair.org.uk/ to cite this page.
Page last modified by Mike Feider on Friday 21 September 2012.