Archaeology Notes

Event ID 663963

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/663963

NH86NW 5 c. 801 692

(Area: NH 799 690) Kitchen-midden discovered in June 1886 by Prof Duns. "The position of the heap faces SSW and is not far from the bottom of the incline which stretches from the farm of Castle Craig (Dunskeath) to the wide area of undulating sand heaps which lie behind the Nigg and Cromarty Ferry Inn." In addition to shellfish remains, the midden contained bones of mammals, birds and fish, including those of roe and red deer (Duns 1887). A shell-mound was discovered prior to 1863 near the Ferry at Nigg, opposite Cromarty. It was several feet above the sea and from it the ground slopes steeply upward. The shells were covered with 2' - 4' of sand and stones. In addition to the shells (mainly winkles and oysters) a few fragments of bone and an ox tooth were found. The Rev G Gordon, visiting the site, came across the end of a double fine tooth-comb (unornamented) but no other implements have been discovered. The site was visited by Lubbock c. 1863. (Lubbock 1863).

J Duns 1887; J Lubbock 1863.

It is uncertain whether Duns and Lubbock are referring to the same midden. There is no trace of a midden in this area of sand dunes, but according to Mr Fraser (A Fraser, Balnabruaich, Nigg) a shell midden was discovered by him during the First World War at approximately NH 801 692. This could be the midden described by Duns (1887)

Visited by OS (I S S) 25 August 1972.