Watching Brief

Date 2008

Event ID 614019

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/614019

NB 23213 30225 A watching brief was kept on the construction of a new sheep fank for the village of Garynahine adjacent to Cnoc Dubh shieling NMR number 219. In 1986 this site suffered severe disturbance from the construction of an access road to the fank (see DES 1987, Curtis and Ponting). The site was reassessed during restoration and recording of the Both (beehive shieling), which has led to the site being considered as a homestead rather than a transhumance site. The existing fank was demolished and the surface soil stripped from the site using a machine with a toothless bucket. Sensitivity was needed in view of the fact that in 1986 the medieval and later soil levels had been removed leaving the possibility that the remaining levels were Iron and Bronze Age. Several features were observed, recorded and photographed. A substantial former standing stone 2.2 x 1.1m with adjoining socket stones was found. There was also a possible funerary cairn which had been disturbed and partially destroyed by the Gearraidh cultivation rigs. The realisation of its significance may have curtailed further development. Site conditions suggest that more easily developed ground would have been found towards the habitation. An extensive area of burnt soil was observed around the cairn and several lithic assemblages were recovered. With the approval of the Grazings Committee, the size of the fank was restricted in order to keep the main features outside the fank. Other less important features were recorded, covered in terram and incorporated below the new fank.

Report: Western Isles archaeologist and RCAHMS (intended)

J Crawford 2008