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Field Visit

Date 26 April 2010

Event ID 990969

Category Recording

Type Field Visit

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/990969

This building is situated immediately above the rocky foreshore on the S side of Sandwick bay, about 40m E of the mouth of an unnamed burn. It was originally concealed beneath a mound of windblown sand measuring about 12m from NW to SE by 5m transversely, but has suffered severely from erosion on the seaward side. It was investigated by the Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division on behalf of the Scottish Coastal Archaeology and the Problem of Erosion Trust, in partnership with volunteers from Shorewatch and Shetland's Past between 2004-7, since when it has been partially restored and consolidated. The building was found to be a cellular structure associated with hearth, midden and occupation deposits dating to the Iron Age. It contained four compartments, the best preserved of which was on the E. This had a complex stratigraphy, but its walls had been constructed with othostats interdigitated with panels of rubble which had been bonded with yellow clay and there was a central hearth. The other cells were more simply constructed, but again presented a complex stratigraphy. Earlier deposits that pre-dated the building were located below the visible structures, while a later inhumation situated about 2m S of the mound yielded a radiocarbon date from a rib bone of AD 130-390.

Visited by RCAHMS (GLB) 26 April 2010.

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