Lewis, Achmore

NB32NW 7 317 292

NB 317 292 In the spring of 1996 a visitor to the Achmore stone circle noted two small logs with cut marks in a peat cutting approximately 50m SE of the stone circle. An evaluation was undertaken for the West of Lewis Landscape Project, with the assistance of M R and G R Curtis, during August to retrieve the logs and record any associated archaeological features.

A trench 4.5 x 1m was cut into the peat cutting and excavated down to the mineral subsoil. Samples were taken for palaeoecological analysis and dating. The major archaeological feature was a cut, measuring 3.5m wide in the front section and c 0.2m deep. This feature ran into the back section and therefore its extent was not ascertained during the evaluation. It was filled by the material surrounding the logs, both of which were silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) and were c 0.5m long and 0.15m in diameter. They were resting one on top of the other within the fibrous peat fill of the feature and were worked at both ends by what appears to have been a metal axe. The feature itself was cut into peat, the natural succession of which could be seen at either side. Within this natural succession was discovered the sharpened end of a wooden stake which continued into the section and was associated with further wooden fragments in the section. In summary, three phases of human activity could be seen. The first involved the working and discard of the wooden stake; peat then formed over and above this before the cut feature was dug. This feature then accumulated with fibrous peat, before the logs were placed or dropped into the resulting marshy hollow. Peat of c 0.5m depth sealed the archaeology.

The artefacts and samples are currently undergoing evaluation. As yet, the age of the site is unclear although a prehistoric date would seem most appropriate. No clear function can yet be assigned to the site.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

M Church 1996

The excavation archive from the investigation of timbers at Creag Ruaidh, Achmore has been catalogued. The archive consists of the report, site manuscripts and drawings. Some photographic archive is missing, however there are images of the timbers in situ and during post-excavation.

Historic Scotland Archive Project (SW) 2002