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Castle Dunskeath

Midden (Period Unknown), Shell Midden (Period Unknown)

Site Name Castle Dunskeath

Classification Midden (Period Unknown), Shell Midden (Period Unknown)

Alternative Name(s) North Sutor; Sutors Of Cromarty; Dunskeath Castle; Cromarty Firth; Firth Of Cromarty

Canmore ID 15239

Site Number NH86NW 5

NGR NH 801 692

NGR Description NH c. 801 692 or NH c.799 690

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/15239

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Digital Images

Administrative Areas

  • Council Highland
  • Parish Nigg (Ross And Cromarty)
  • Former Region Highland
  • Former District Ross And Cromarty
  • Former County Ross And Cromarty

Archaeology Notes

NH86NW 5 c. 801 692

(Area: NH 799 690) Kitchen-midden discovered in June 1886 by Prof Duns. "The position of the heap faces SSW and is not far from the bottom of the incline which stretches from the farm of Castle Craig (Dunskeath) to the wide area of undulating sand heaps which lie behind the Nigg and Cromarty Ferry Inn." In addition to shellfish remains, the midden contained bones of mammals, birds and fish, including those of roe and red deer (Duns 1887). A shell-mound was discovered prior to 1863 near the Ferry at Nigg, opposite Cromarty. It was several feet above the sea and from it the ground slopes steeply upward. The shells were covered with 2' - 4' of sand and stones. In addition to the shells (mainly winkles and oysters) a few fragments of bone and an ox tooth were found. The Rev G Gordon, visiting the site, came across the end of a double fine tooth-comb (unornamented) but no other implements have been discovered. The site was visited by Lubbock c. 1863. (Lubbock 1863).

J Duns 1887; J Lubbock 1863.

It is uncertain whether Duns and Lubbock are referring to the same midden. There is no trace of a midden in this area of sand dunes, but according to Mr Fraser (A Fraser, Balnabruaich, Nigg) a shell midden was discovered by him during the First World War at approximately NH 801 692. This could be the midden described by Duns (1887)

Visited by OS (I S S) 25 August 1972.

Activities

Field Visit (September 1977)

Balnapaling 1 NH c. 801 692 NH86NW 5

In 1887 Duns excavated a shell-midden, the precise location of which is not known, but it was probably at either NH 799 690 or NH 801 692. It contained a hearth, worked bone, and the remains of shellfish, mammals, birds and fish. The midden may be that noted by Lubbock in 1863.

RCAHMS 1979, visited September 1977

(Lubbock 1863, 421; Duns 1897)

References

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