Field Visit

Date 2009

Event ID 609840

Category Recording

Type Field Visit

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/609840

Veins of homogenous milky white quartz similar to that found at the Cnoc Dubh quartz quarry, Gearraidh na

h-Aibhne, Lewis (NB 23126 30190, SMR 9648) and exhibiting similar circular impact scars have been discovered near Cliff beach, Uig. The veins are concentrated in two main areas, both upon cnoc, or small hills, separated by c 0.75km. Both are in the area investigated by Ian Armit and his team during their study of the area and associated excavation of a wheel house (Armit 1994, 67–93).

NB 08790 36820 Sidhean a´ Chairn Bhuidhe This is a small cnoc, around 100m by 70m in plan and c20m higher than the surrounding ground. Although mostly grassed there are a number of rocky outcrops on it. Three of these outcrops, two on the southern slope and one on its summit, have quartz veins of 1–2m length and 0.1–0.3m wide, exhibiting many circular impact scars, indicative of prehistoric quarrying. The lithic specialist Torben Bjarke Ballin has confirmed that the photographic evidence supports the interpretation of these outcrops as a prehistoric quartz quarry. A souterrain and structure have also been recorded at this location (SMR no. 68 and Armit, 1994 67–93).

NB 08710 37580 Tobha Mor On the southern side of this larger hill a cliff face of around 20–30m height has one large quartz vein covering at least 5m2 of the face and numerous further smaller veins in cracks within the face. All appear to have been worked, being covered in circular impact scars. There are various ledges on the cliff, near worked veins, and a larger, gently sloping area at its base, with many small fragments of quartz gathered around each.

Downhill (S) of this cliff two further small outcrops have quartz veins of between 1–2m by 0.3m which are similarly worked, the lowest of which is surrounded by a sub-circular, roughly built walled enclosure of around 6m diameter and standing to around 1m in height. It was probably a post-medieval structure for sheep, although their coincidence is intriguing.

Armit I 1994 Archaeological field survey of the Bhaltos (Valtos) peninsula, Lewis, Proc Soc Ant Scot 124, 67–93.

Ian Mchardy