Field Walking

Date 22 March 2018 - 29 April 2018

Event ID 1106892

Category Recording

Type Field Walking

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1106892

HY 31905 12680 – Tormiston Farm (Field 138), HY 31810 12385 – Tormiston Farm (Field 139), HY 32710 13020 – Lower Hobbister Farm (Field 140), HY 32400 12900 – Lower Hobbister Farm (Field 141), HY 32530 12840 – Lower Hobbister Farm (Field 142), HY 27480 14990 – Lyking Farm (Field 143), HY 27245 15030 – Lyking Farm (Field 144), HY 26990 15295 – Lyking Farm (Field 145), HY 32020 13150 – Moa Farm (Field 146), HY 26970 12820 – Seatter Farm (Field 147), HY 26960 13020 – Seatter Farm (Field 148), HY 31185 16015 – Maesquoy Farm (Field 149), HY 25725 12770 – Near Quholmslie (Field 150), HY 31060 16345 – Maesquoy Farm (Field 151), HY 30905 12105 – Tormiston Farm (Field 152), HY 27100 14975 – Lyking Farm (Field 153)

A third season of fieldwalking was undertaken, 22 March – 29 April 2018, within the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site Buffer Zone, West Mainland. Seventeen fields were walked with volunteers using the same methodology (10m transects). A total of 53 fields have now been walked during the project.

Prehistoric activity was evident from low density scatters and isolated worked flint (eg Fields 138, 139, 144, 146, 150 and 153) and occasional course stone tools. Three previously unrecorded prehistoric settlements were identified (likely Neolithic). In Field 138, immediately SE of Maeshowe, an area of reddish soil upon a raised area in the eastern part of the field (cHY 32010 12690) was accompanied by a stone axehead. Field 152, 200m S of the Standing Stones of Stenness, contained a low broad stony mound with reddish soil along with a perforated stone and flaked stone bar at the NW end. Field 153, contained reddish brown midden-like soil, burnt stone, flint and a single sherd of prehistoric pottery (probably Grooved Ware).

In Field 110, a stone weight was found near an area of burnt stone (re-walked, noted before), and could represent a prehistoric / early medieval settlement. Blue glass beads (Field 139), a lead ‘spoon’ object (Field 144) and a quartzite hammerstone (Field 145) were highlights. General scatters of post-medieval and modern ceramics, glass etc were recovered. The finds have yet to be analysed in full.

Archive: UHI Archaeology Institute (currently)

Funder: Orkney Archaeology Society

Daniel Lee and Christopher Gee – Archaeology Institute, UHI

(Source DES Volume 19)