Field Visit

Date 2009

Event ID 605259

Category Recording

Type Field Visit

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/605259

NR 39632 62641 Donald James McPhee identified chipped stone artefacts eroding from the section of a ditch at Storakaig. With the help of Susan Campbell he collected an assemblage of c200 pieces in the spring of 2009. Steven Mithen inspected them in the summer of 2009 and Anne Pirie then analysed a sample. That sample included numerous platform cores with bladelet removals, as well as several narrow and broader

blades. The artefacts are patinated, some stained yellow, possibly from water or soil conditions. Tools included one truncated blade, and one retouched blade. The assemblage contains numerous clearly Mesolithic artefacts along with a retouched blade that may be Neolithic. Fragments of charred hazelnut shell were also collected from the ditch section, one of which has been radiocarbon dated to 5350 ± 50 BP (Beta

264734). Fragments of bone were also present, including phalange from red deer and horn core from either bovid or sheep/goat. The nature of the association between the chipped stone, charred hazelnut shell and bone fragments remains unclear.

Archive: Islay Museum

Funder: University of Reading

Steven Mithen, Susan Campbell, Donald James McPhee and Anne Pirie – University of Reading