Oliclett

ND34NW 43 c.304 455

ND 304 455 Preliminary excavation was carried out of a lithic scatter revealed by forestry ploughing in an area of blanket peat below the Hill of Oliclett. The ploughing had uncovered buried soils in areas where the peat appears to have been extensively cut in the past. Over 1200 lithics (flint and quartzite) were recovered from these soils, mostly undiagnostic debitage. However, the assemblage does contain 61 narrow blade microliths and a number of microburins and bladelets, indicating a Mesolithic date for the site. A single barbed-and-tanged arrowhead was also recovered from the base of the peat.

The site is located on a gentle E-facing slope at 100m OD, in the vicinity of a number of small burns and around 6km from the modern coastline. There appear to be two main concentrations of lithics, located approximately 100m apart on small knolls. Only one of these was thoroughly investigated, revealing that here the scatter was composed of several epicentres surrounded by areas of reduced lithic density. Environmental sampling was undertaken in the vicinity of the site.

Sponsors: Historic Scotland, Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise, Thrumster Estate, University of Cardiff.

A Pannett 2001

ND 304 455 (centre) A further season of excavation at the Mesolithic flint scatter (ND34NW 43) in July and August 2002 expanded the survey area to incorporate a number of natural knolls in the vicinity of the original site (DES 2001, 66). Six mounds were targeted for test pitting, four on currently, or recently cultivated land, and two in the peat-covered heather moorland. A 30m? grid was laid out over each of the mounds, within which nine 1m? test pits were excavated. Wet-sieving was carried out through 4mm mesh. All of the mounds produced lithics, with numbers collected ranging from 2-500. The distribution of the lithics across the mounds suggested a preference for the E- and SE-facing sides, reflecting the situation noted during the 2001 survey. The material recovered appears to be predominantly Mesolithic, with blades and blade shatter making up a generally high proportion of the assemblages. Only two of the mounds produced microliths, with a small number of microburins also recovered. Significantly, no cores were recovered during the test pitting.

The only structural features identified were a small number of probable and possible stake-holes found in association with an ard mark beneath a modern cultivation soil. These were excavated, but no datable or diagnostic material was recovered. In addition, a large modern rubble field drain was also found.

Further investigation of the main excavation area from 2001 was also carried out. Here a 6 x 2m trench was opened over a concentration noted the previous year. The aim was to recover in situ lithics, to reveal any possible features associated with the scatter, and to recover material for dating. The trench was divided into 12 1m? grids, each of which was excavated and sieved separately. The assemblage comprises over 1000 pieces, and includes a large quantity of debitage and microdebitage, indicating that knapping had been undertaken at the site. A substantial number of blades were recovered, together with both microburins and narrow blade microliths, predominantly backed bladelets and scalene triangles. A considerable amount of burnt flint was also recovered, predominantly from the W end of the trench. No features were identified, and no material suitable for dating was recovered.

Environmental sampling was undertaken in the area around the excavation, and samples for pollen analysis were recovered.

Archive to be deposited in the NMRS.

Sponsors: HS, University of Cardiff, Thrumster Estate, Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise, Windpower Ltd, Highland Council.

A Pannett and A Baines 2002

The reported location of this lithic scatter is an area of low-lying peaty ground about 600m ESE of Oliclate farmsteading (ND24NE 24), which is drained by an extensive network of deep ditches. There is more than one low rise in the SE part of the area and these may be the knolls to which previous accounts are referring.

Visited by RCAHMS (ATW) 27 July 2004.