Rovert

NG 8161 5231 A desk-based assessment and walkover survey were carried out 15 November – 20 December 2011 prior to ground works associated with a new water treatment plant and associated developments 120m SE of Kinloch. The site was considered sensitive as it is located in an area of known prehistoric sites, including a stone working site dating to c2500 BC, although the discovery of lithic artefacts including narrow blade microliths and a tanged point indicated a much earlier date for the occupation of the site.

The fieldwork, which included the excavation of 33 test pits, revealed the survival and extent of in situ archaeological deposits, and a lithics assemblage including narrow-blade microliths, cores, scrapers, blades, flakes and debitage. The test pits, along with Walker’s earlier excavations in 1973, have proved the existence of an important early prehistoric site with later activity extending into the Bronze Age. The analysis of the lithic material from the earlier excavations by Bjarke-Ballin and Saville, have supported this analysis, although indicators for an earlier presence were identified (possible Upper Palaeolithic).

Unfortunately, the site has suffered considerably due to various phases of commercial development in the past, all of which were conducted without any archaeological input. This started with the excavation of the quarry for road building material in 1971, which undoubtedly removed a major part of the lithic scatter site. This was followed by the installation of a wooden electricity pole and water treatment works, and more recently by the excavation of a trench for the temporary electricity supply to the new water treatment works. The test pit evaluations have proved that a small area of the original archaeological site survives on a small knoll, measuring c5 x 4m.

The lithic assemblage recovered, analysed by Torben Bjarke-Ballin, is characterized by much debitage, but it also includes flake cores, cores for the production of small flakes and blades, as well as preparation flakes from the preparation of microblade cores. The tools include mainly microliths and scrapers, and the character and size of the microliths suggest a date c7000 BP. In terms of size, typology and applied technology, the assemblage corresponds to the Late Mesolithic collection provided by Walker’s 1973 excavation, but it does not include any finds datable to earlier or later periods. As the 2011 trench was located only a few metres from Walker’s main trench, it is highly likely that the two assemblages were recovered from parts of the same settlement site.

The lithic scatter site at Shieldaig, although now severely denuded, is of national and international significance. The small area of in situ deposits located on top of the exposed knoll appears to contain well preserved archaeological deposits including large numbers of lithics.

Archive: Highland HER and RCAHMS (intended) and WCAS

Funder: Scottish Water Solutions

Steven Birch, West Coast Archaeological Services

2012