Skye, An Corran

NG46NE 19 490 685

Immediately S of An Corran and on a ledge to the west of the road leading to Staffin slipway is a shell-midden (Patella Vulgata and Littorina Litorea) together with burnt bone. A flint point and a chert flake were picked from the surface.

Visited by R Miket, 12 May 1988.

NG 491 684. Salvage investigation took place during December 1993/January 1994 of a ledge at the base of E-facing cliffs in advance of rock-blasting for road works. Disturbed upper levels contained the remains of numerous hearths and fires but the only datable finds were a mid 19th-century glass bottle and a bronze pin of Early Iron Age type.

An underlying shell midden contained a very important Mesolithic assemblage of bone and lithic tools, as well as abundant faunal remains. A radiocarbon determination of 7590 ? 90 BP (OxA-4994) has been obtained on one of the bevel-ended tools, made on a red deer bone. The lithic industry, using locally available silicious and basaltic materials, included the manufacture of microliths by microburin technique.

About one-fifth of the rock-shelter deposits were examined, but the ledge itself has been preserved despite removal of the cliff.

Sponsors: Skye & Lochalsh District Council Museums Service, Highland Region Roads Department, NMS.

A Saville and R Miket 1994.