Orkney Smr Note
Date November 1997
Event ID 617184
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Orkney Smr Note
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/617184
A substantial and extensive settlement-mound by the shore on
the sandblown area used as the Sanday golf course. It stands
about 1m above the general turf level and 3m above the shoreline.
As the base of the deposit is at about shoreline level, the
entire 3m of thickness is artificial. The summit is partly
landscaped for one of the greens although resulting damage
appears not to be serious. The exposure extends 45m along the
shoreline and erect slabs and mound material occur as far as 35m
back from the shore at a point just N of the golf-green. There
are many patches of nettles. Another, larger mound to the W may
be more of the settlement, or a dune.
In the erosion exposure, the bottom of the visible levels is
clean sand [which of course could well be a sandblow interlude as
the bottom of the site]. On this sand is developed a buried soil
with ard marks visible in section at the junction of the soil and
the sand; conditions for preservation of ard marks. Above the
buried soil for the whole length of the exposure there appear
thick midden deposits containing animal bone, a few burnt stones,
many shells of limpet cockle winkle and whelk. At the N end two
lengths of ancient drystone wall protrude under the modern stone
dyke which separates the golf course from the farmlands of
Newark, and other fragments of walling can be glimpsed here and
there in the exposure.
This is clearly a good machair settlement site with sandblow
levels and good alkaline conditions of preservation, and the
presence of associated ard marks makes it important. There is a
continuous threat from the sea erosion.
Information from Orkney SMR (RGL) Jun 79.
Large sections on the shoreline were taken out by SE gales
in the winters of 1982-3 and 1983-4. On the latter occasion a
length of deposit 3m wide and 15m long came down.
Sections drawn, samples taken and resistivity survey carried
out by Steve Dockerill, Bradford Univ, Aug 85. RGL Aug 85.
Site revisited in Nov 1997 after a lead spindle whorl was reported found on a stone on the shore near the gate at the north end of the exposed midden (close to cement bags acting as erosion barrier). Also an iron rivet found in the midden face. C.31m of midden material exposed with many big fish bones. At south end of disappearing shore dyke is massive exposure. A structure of unknown use has been exposed, dug into the upper layer of the midden. The orthostat at the south end has floor layer and edge slabs visible.
Information from Orkney SMR (MLW) Nov 97.