Island Archaeology 2011 : Year of Island Cultures 2 CONTENTS ISSUE 11 SUMMER 2011 EDITORIAL 3 FEATURES Issue No 11 / Summer 2010 4
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Published by Archaeology Scotland three times a year. Free to members. ISSUE 11 SUMMER 2011 Islands NTS Islands in Trust North Rona Mesolithic Mull Fieldwork COMMUNITY Roman Inveresk Loch Hourn Island Archaeology 2011 : Year of Island Cultures 2 CONTENTS ISSUE 11 SUMMER 2011 EDITORIAL 3 FEATURES Issue No 11 / Summer 2010 4. Looking seaward from the heather - Islands in Trust ISSN 2041-7039 6. North Rona - a distant isle Islands Views and opinions expressed within 8. Billy’s Garden - the earliest Mesolithic site in western Scotland Archaeology Scotland magazine are not necessarily those of Archaeology Scotland, its Board or the Editor. RECENT FIELDWORK 10. Recent discoveries at Roman Inveresk Published by Archaeology Scotland, Suite 1a, Stuart House, 11. Loch Hourn survey Eskmills, Station Road, Musselburgh EH21 7PB BOOKS Tel: 0845 872 3333 Fax: 0845 872 3334 12. Book Reviews - Shifting Sands: Links of Noltland, Westray; The Email: [email protected] Archaeological Landcape of Bute; Carpow Log Boat Web: www.archaeologyscotland.org.uk Scottish Charity SC001723 NEWS Company No. 262056 13. ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND: Membership; Scottish Archaeology Month; Education & Outreach; OTHER NEWS: Out with the old GUARD 14. From the Director 15. Direct Debit form The DBLPS/Community excavation at Scalpsie Barrow, lead by Paul Duffy, Deputy Project Manager for Archaeology. This was a re-excavation of the barrow first dug by Bryce in 1903. © Discover Bute Landscape Partnership Scheme COVER: Thistle Camp volunteers surveying The theme of this edition of the magazine is ‘Island is fascinating with the added piquancy of the engagement of the on Canna, looking across Sanday to Rum archaeology’, to coincide with the Year of Islands Cultures gardener, Billy, in the discoveries. North Rona comes across as © NTS 2011 celebration. To be honest I had to get out a map to make an island touched by magic. Sadly North Rona is now empty of 4 6 sure I knew where all the places in the articles are. I have lived people and as the writers own ‘it would be naive to suggest that in Scotland for years and think I know her quite well but in a we understand the landscape’. How can we ever do this when ‘pin the tail on the donkey’ approach with half-closed eyes and the link with the people who made and used that landscape is a map, trying to see the map outline and not the place-names, I gone? had to be pleased with about 60%. Even worse, friends of mine The Loch Hourn area was clearly far more densely populated who are Scots by birth did significantly worse! These once busy in times past. It has islands associated with the area that were coasts and islands are now less so and, as a sad result, less well previously populated and are no longer. The shadows of people known and much less travelled. who lived in Knoydart and Glenelg, burying their dead on Editing and typesetting Can Scotland’s Year of Island Cultures do anything to put Barisdale, fall long across the Loch. Iconic St Kilda, abandoned Sue Anderson, CFA Archaeology Ltd these places back on the map? Scotland’s islands lie on the in 1930, is another island where our true understanding of the Based on an original design by western periphery of Scotland, the UK and of Europe. They culture becomes fainter as the number of St Kildans diminishes Neil Kinnaird qualify for inclusion in EU projects looking to address issues to zero. At a recent presentation about the excellent work on of peripherality such as poor economic performance, low St Kilda by the National Trust for Scotland the issue of ‘who’ Deadline for articles and news items for 8 10 population levels and low levels of ‘inclusion’. is the community of interest was discussed; it can be anyone, the next issue of Archaeology Scotland is Scotland’s Year of Island Cultures website tells us that they if they are interested. Perhaps this is the future for Scotland’s 10 October 2011. Contributions can be want to celebrate ‘not just island culture, but also the vibrant abandoned and forgotten islands, to be jobs and hobbies for sent by post to the Archaeology Scotland communities which make our islands so unique’. A laudable academics and tourists, it seems so sad. offices or e-mailed direct to the Editor aim, but how does this fit with an archipelago where many I would prefer to use Scotland’s Year of Islands Cultures marked ‘ArcScot contribution’. islands are depopulated, uninhabited, cleared? The articles ”celebration” to draw attention to the problems of life on the in this edition of the magazine ably and amply celebrate the periphery, to its fragility and sometimes its neglect. Can we [email protected] archaeology of the islands concerned but where there is no use this excellent archaeology to shine a light on what can resident population who are the community of interest, who happen to island populations without appropriate economic The Editor welcomes members’ letters, ‘owns’ the archaeology and who is going to celebrate? development and support so that we don’t see a further and which may be edited for reasons of length intensified wave of Clearance? and clarity. Mull is, mercifully, still a vibrant island and the excavation of ‘Billy’s Garden – the earliest Mesolithic site in western Scotland’ Bridget Paterson, Discover Bute Landscape Partnership Scheme Copyright for text published in Archaeology Scotand magazine will rest with Archaeology Scotland and the 11 individual contributors. Editor’s Note Advertisers should contact the Archaeology Scotland offices in the first instance. The next issue will be on the theme of the ‘Artefacts’. We Please email contributions direct to me if possible, no later than also welcome articles about more general themes, specific 10 October. A large print version of Archaeology community projects, SAM events and research projects. Members are encouraged to send comments, short articles, Scotland is available on request. Please If you plan to include something in the next issue, please let me photos and opinions relating to Scottish archaeology at any contact the Archaeology Scotland office know well in advance as space is always tight. High resolution time for inclusion in our “Members’ Section”. for further information. digital images (300dpi+) are preferred for publication (please Sue Anderson, Editor Printed on recycled paper. include copyright details), although we can scan other formats. 4 FEATURES ISSUE 11 SUMMER 2011 FEATURES 5 Looking seaward from the heather: Fresh Evidence for Pre-Burghal Edinburgh islands in Trust brambles from the abandoned 19th-century fermtoun at Burg received talks and deck commentaries on the natural and on Mull and the survey of the ruined bothy on Staffa. On Iona cultural heritage of some of Scotland’s most iconic islands we have an ongoing programme to conserve and re-paint the as well as numerous tours ashore. Following in the footsteps rusting remains of the iron machinery at the marble quarry (a of Martin Martin, more and more people seek to visit these Scheduled Monument) and to re-turf the erosion scars on the wonderful islands. Next year will see the Trust cruise, in a larger earthwork vallum around the Abbey. ship, the Quest for Adventure, return to Hirta but also visit Thistle Camp volunteers have also carried out excavations over Canna, Skye and Staffa. http://www.nts.org.uk/culturalcruising/ a number of years at both Brodick on Arran and on Canna. index.php The most complete piece of work was done in the grounds of As some of the most extensive landholdings in the Trust, the Brodick Castle. We investigated a clamp kiln for producing islands hold a vast number of archaeological sites. From the lime which was found to be one of a series of similar kilns evidence of early farmers on Canna through to the Second across the island, all probably Estate-built by workmen during World War plane crash sites, such as the remains of the flying the agricultural improvements of the late 18th and early 19th boat on Hirta. Without a Trust helicopter or boat, management centuries. of the archaeological sites on these islands often relies heavily On Canna excavations were targeted to examine the effect of on the partnership with local communities and government rabbit damage on a 19th-century fermtoun, a shieling site and agencies. I doubt I could claim for a yacht on expenses! a Neolithic settlement mound. Despite heavy disturbance by Derek Alexander, NTS burrowing rabbits, layers of burning and numerous artefacts were recovered, including part of a stone axe and lots of heavy Further reading plain bowl pottery. Radiocarbon dates from this site suggested Emery, N 1996 Excavations on Hirta 1986–90. Edinburgh. activity in the mid 4th millennium BC. As a result a programme of rabbit control has now been brought in on Canna to try and Fleming, A 2005 St Kilda and the Wider World. Cheshire reduce the numbers and minimise damage to the archaeology. Harden, J 2011 ‘Far-flung islands: Berneray, Mingulay and Pabbay’, One problem for conservation is that the rabbits provide The Archaeologist, Spring 2011, No 79, 10–13. a ready food source for the various raptor species which Harden, J & Lelong O 2011 Winds of Change: the living landscape of regularly use the island. Removing the rabbits entirely from the Hirta, St Kilda. Edinburgh island ecosystem would have an unacceptable effect on these Hunter, J 1996 Fair Isle: The archaeology of an island community. On the Trust cruise looking at Boreray where recent survey work has recorded over 80 structures © NTS protected species. Edinburgh. RCAHMS 2010 Mingulay: Archaeology and Architecture (Broadsheet) The National Trust for Scotland has around 400 islands, or An Lag.