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Archaeology Notes
Event ID 648820
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/648820
NC01SW 2 0167 1314.
NC 018 133. At Achnahaird Sands in an area of coastal sand dunes lie traces of human occupation. Numerous shell heaps, charcoal patches, and several hearths were seen. A nucleus of dry-stone foundations indicate a structure composed of a circular wall about 18' in diameter with a rectangular annexe indicated by a kerb of large stones running into a sand-face. Fragments of coarse pottery were found widely scattered, along with a number of flakes of flint. Two hammer stones were found, one extensively abraded at both ends, and a neatly made spindle whorl.
A chipping floor has been exposed by high winds. The occurrence of iron slag and the lower half of a rotary quern in the proximity of the foundations and shell heaps suggest a period for some of the remains, but the occupation of this area was probably over a long period of time. Sherds of hand-made pottery, possibly medieval, from a shell heap at NC 018 132, which were donated to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS) in 1962-3 by C F Tebbutt, Eynesbury, seem to confirm this.
R Crerar 1969; Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1965.
At NC 0167 1314, a structure has been gradually exposed in an eroding sand dune over a period of 40 years. This is undoubtedly the nucleus of foundations seen by Crerar. It is now visible as a dry-stone walled rectangular enclosure with a curving E end, measuring 6.5m E-W by 4.0m N-S within a wall 1.3m thick. A small rectangular pen has been recently built in the interior. From near its SE corner a thin wall of stones on edge curves away to the SW for 13.0m, before it disappears into the dune. Two other walls, both running W from the SW and NW corners, also disappear into the dune. A straight line of stones crossing these latter walls from NW to SE is the foundation of a recent iron fence.
The walls stand on an old land surface and around them are scattered many fragments of iron slag, some fire cracked stones and pieces of charcoal; there are also several different sized heaps of stones, of uncertain provenance. A sherd of thin grey pottery was picked up by the Field surveyor close to the enclosure, and two sherds of thin red ware were found 80m to the N, together with a beach pebble used as a hammer stone.
Surveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (A A) 18 July 1974.
Mr and Mrs Kirby (Mr and Mrs J Kirby, 3 ferry Croft, Lairg, Sutherland) found a bronze ring brooch (14th - 15th c AD), two small medieval sherds, and much slag "in the immediate vicinity of the rectangular stone buildings". They also found a bronze pin (perhaps 9th - 14th c AD) "from the side of a small rivulet at NC 018 134, and not associated with any structure or midden deposit". The finds are in the NMAS.
Information contained in Letter from J Close-Brooks (NMAS) 4 May 1976.