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Excavation

Date 2007

Event ID 558120

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/558120

NG 5940 1970 The third year of a planned five-year project saw the completion of excavations in Bone Passage. Excavations (Trench 17) at the northern end of the cave revealed that votive deposits here differed markedly from those at the foot of the stairs (southern end of cave), where multiple personal items had been

placed, with the emphasis here being on deposition of animal bone collections. In addition a socketed axe of Bronze Age style but made/cast in iron was also recovered from between the paving of floor 2. An exciting development is that seven worked antler pins recovered in 2005 have been identified as tuning pegs from a lyre, possibly the oldest such instrument in western Europe. Work on the surface concentrated on completion of Trenches 14, 16 and 18, all sections through the burnt mound deposits, and the opening of Trench 15 in the forecourt area of the cave – potentially the most important area of activity during the Early Iron Age use of the site. Test pits through possible geophysical anomalies and uncertain landscape features were also completed. The 2007 season also saw the start of a detailed landscape survey. A fuller description of the work will be made available through a DSR in April 2008. Trench 15 and the landscape survey will be completed in the 2008 season. For an insight into the work at High Pasture Cave see the dedicated website www.highpasturecave.org.

The excavation archive is currently held by WCAS and AALS c/o Steven Birch and Martin Wildgoose. Finds deposited with NMS.

Funder: Historic Scotland, Highland Council, Highland 2007 Fund and Skye and Lochalsh Enterprise / LEADER+

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