EHG858 - Trial trenching - Marymas Green, Dunnet Bay

A trial trenching evaluation was carried out under the supervision of T Pollard of GUARD in 1995 of archaeological features eroding from sand dunes at the rear of Dunnet Bay, Caithness. Archaeological features in sand dunes located to the north of the caravan park at Dunnet Bay were first reported by L. J. Myatt in 1993. Grazing sheep had further disturbed a sand dune which had been partially cut away during the construction of the A836, which currently runs immediately to the east of the site. This erosion revealed a shell midden deposit containing elements of dry-stone wall, high up in the exposed east facing section of the sand dune. The fieldwork was carried out over a period of 7 days in September 1995 as part of Highland Region's annual archaeology week. The project involved the participation of members of the local community, who for some time had been eager to see these features undergo archaeological investigation. The team was augmented by two post-graduates from the University of Glasgow, one of whom was conducting research into the Iron Age of Caithness (A Baines), while the other was a specialist in palaeobotanical studies (D Aldritt). The trial trenches were positioned to the rear of the eroding midden and wall. A total of twelve trenches were opened, many of which were in the form of small test pits measuring 2.0 metres by 1.0 metre. Trench 4 was the largest trench opened and this measured approximately 4 x 4m. Trenches 6, 10, 11, and 12, contained only clean sand and no evidence for archaeological deposits. Excavation, including the cleaning back and recording of the eroding dune section revealed a series of stone walls, some of which appeared to represent buildings, and buried soil horizons, which prior to being covered by blown sand may have supported arable agriculture. On purely typological grounds the presence of a decorated bone pin and antler comb suggested activity on the site ranging from the pre-Viking (8th century AD) to late Norse periods (12th-14th century AD). It was hoped that analyses of the environmental samples recovered from the excavation would provide a further insight into the nature of the deposits from which they were recovered and the activities which led to their formation. Much of this work would be undertaken by D Aldritt as part of her Ph.D. research into the environmental background to Norse activity in northern Scotland. It was hoped that the animal bones would also be examined by a post-graduate student, thus again minimising the cost of this work. <1> The site was published as an article in a volume of papers presented to K Blood by the Northumberland Archaeology Group in 1999. <2> Processing and analysis of the environmental finds and samples was undertaken by D Alldritt and reported on as one of five case studies in her PhD thesis submitted to Glasgow University in 2003. The work also included analysis of four small assessment samples taken at the site in 1994 by Dr. J.H. Barrett. <3>