South Uist, Daliburgh, Cladh Hallan
Midden(S) (Period Unknown), Pin(S) (Iron Age), Unidentified Pottery (Iron Age)
Site Name South Uist, Daliburgh, Cladh Hallan
Classification Midden(S) (Period Unknown), Pin(S) (Iron Age), Unidentified Pottery (Iron Age)
Alternative Name(s) Bruthach Na Sail-daraich
Canmore ID 9864
Site Number NF72SW 5
NGR NF 734 217
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/9864
- Council Western Isles
- Parish South Uist
- Former Region Western Isles Islands Area
- Former District Western Isles
- Former County Inverness-shire
NF72SW 5 734 217
See also NF72SW 10 and NF72SW 11.
(Area: NF 734 217). Between the midden destroyed (NF72SW 4) to provide a wall for Hallan Burial Ground, and the burial ground itself, Wedderspoon (J Wedderspoon 1915) came upon 'a pot-shaped hole about 30 yards in diameter.' It was a about 9 feet deep and the sand which filled it had been blown into a dune on the landward side. Part of a midden was also exposed on this side. Wedderspoon found a hammerstone, a bone comb, a few fragments of unglazed pottery, some with herring-bone pattern (they crumbled on being exposed), traces of fire, numerous fragments of deer horn, animal bones and teeth, and two human teeth.
Nearby, another windswept hollow revealed a large midden, about 1/4 acre in extent, and reaching to within 30 yds. west of the burial ground. One part of the midden was almost entirely cockle shells. The rest was covered with shells and bones indiscriminately. Wedderspoon found several hearths, a mound of flints (some showing marks of flaking), several hammer stones, bone needles, fragments of coarse pottery (some with herring-bone pattern), a bronze knob, several human teeth, etc.
J Wedderspoon 1915.
(NF 734 218 approx.) Extensive midden 200 yards SW of burial ground, 1927. Broch pottery, iron ring-headed pin (1st/3rd c. AD.).
(NF 733 219 approx.) Extensive midden separated from above by huge dune. Traces of rectangular building. Numerous bone pins - broch types. Invisible 1951.
(Undated) information from R W Feachem.
No traces of these middens was found.
Visited by OS (W D J) 6 May 1965.
Field Visit (28 August 1914)
Kitchen Middens, Daliburgh.
Among the sand-hills extending for about a mile along the coast to the west of the township of Daliburgh are a number of very fine kitchen middens, which have yielded a large number of relics, including hand-made pottery, bone pins, some bronzes, and large numbers of animal bones, as well as shells.
RCAHMS 1928, visited 28 August 1914.
OS map: South Uist Iv and lvii.
Soil Sampling (4 March 2003 - 12 March 2003)
AOC Archaeology were grant aided by Historic Scotland for a second successive season of fieldwork related to a partnership project to assist a PhD studentship investigating the Marine Reservoir Effect, as well as a further project which includes analyses of Plaggan Soils. A total of 25 potential sites were visited to ascertain their potential for sample retrieval relating to the two projects described above.
None of the ecofactual or artefactual material noted at any of the sites visited could be described as being in secure contexts. The material was either within what appeared to be deposits interpreted as topsoil, in unstratified spreads, which were eroding out of the overlying eroding windblown sands, or in the case of Galston within deposits which appeared to have slumped down from above. In light of this no samples were taken for the PhD studentship concerned with the Marine Resevoir Effect. Some soil micromorphological samples were, however, taken in the connection with the study into Plaggan soils. These samples will be reported on at a later date.
AOC Archaeology - Alan Duffy (2003)
