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Skye, An Corran
Shell Midden (Period Unassigned), Flake (Chert), Point (Flint)
Site Name Skye, An Corran
Classification Shell Midden (Period Unassigned), Flake (Chert), Point (Flint)
Alternative Name(s) Staffin House
Canmore ID 11349
Site Number NG46NE 19
NGR NG 490 685
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/11349
- Council Highland
- Parish Kilmuir
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Skye And Lochalsh
- Former County Inverness-shire
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.
