MHG14370 - Occupation Site - Sanna Bay
Summary
No summary available.
Type and Period (2)
- OCCUPATION SITE (Mesolithic to Early Medieval - 8000 BC to 1057 AD)
- CREMATION (Bronze Age - 2400 BC? to 551 BC?)
Protected Status
- None recorded
Full Description
NM46NW 1 centred 44 69 and 444 689.
Burial, Sanna Bay (Site): In August 1926 a cremation burial was discovered in the sand dunes at Sanna Bay; the burnt bones and ashes were surrounded by small stones, but there were no accompanying finds to indicate the date of deposit. Mesolithic flint-work, sherds of Beaker ware, a flint barbed-and-tanged arrowhead, two flint knives or scrapers, two stone axeheads, and early medieval material found in midden deposits within the dunes on this occasion are now in the University Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Cambridge (Acc Nos: 26.501; 26.502; 51.1044). Further arrowheads, scrapers and borers were recovered by Crerar in 1961 from sand bunkers; three shell heaps investigated did not yield any artifacts.
RCAHMS 1980; T C Lethbridge 1927; A D Lacaille 1954; R Crerar 1961; J N G Ritchie 1973.
The precise spot where Lethbridge and Crerar found these objects is not known locally but the most likely situation is in the areas centred NM 444 694, NM 445 691 and NM 446 692 where the shifting sand dunes have eroded down to the original raised shell beach. Here a local inhabitant, Mr J Maclean (Sanna), has found numerous undecorated potsherds. Areas of shell beach delineated on Record Sheet.
Visited by OS (N K B) 5 June 1970.
NM 444 690. A number of sherds and flint and bloodstone flakes were found eroding from the dunes.
NM 444 689. Erosion of the dunes has revealed an occupation layer from the surface of which were recovered several potsherds and half of a pierced lead disc 2.7cm in diameter.
J Kirby 1983.
A portion of iron slag is listed in the NMS catalogue, described as coming from Sanna Bay. It is likely to be from this site. Acc. No. HR 1583. <1>
Many of the finds from Sanna Bay are in Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. These comprise a decorated bell beaker, reconstructed from 21 sherds (1926.502 A), 42 sherds from bell beakers with corded decoration (1926.502 B), other beakers sherds, most decorated and including 5 rim sherds and 1 base sherd (1951.1044.1-28), a side scraper (1951.1045 A), 2 barbed and tanged arrowheads (1951.1045 B-C), a borer (1951.1045 D), 2 cores (1951.1045 E-F) and 3 ground stone axes, one in 2 pieces (1951.1046 A.1-2, 1951.1046 B, 1951.1046 C).
Bronze pins, twist clasps and a ring are also listed in the catalogue from Sanna Bay under Z 20848. <2>
Sources/Archives (9)
- --- SHG1466 Text/Publication/Article: Crerar, R. 1961. 'Sanna Bay, Ardnamurchan', Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 1961, p.12. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland. 12. 12.
- --- SHG1467 Text/Publication/Article: Kirby, J. 1983. 'Sanna Sands (Ardnamurchan p) sherds, flints', Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 1983, p.12-13. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland. 12-13. 12-13.
- --- SHG2399 Text/Publication/Volume: Lacaille, A D. 1954. The Stone Age in Scotland. 289-90; illust.
- --- SHG2660 Text/Report: RCAHMS. 1980. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Argyll: an inventory of the monuments volume 3: Mull, Tiree, Coll and Northern Argyll (excluding the early medieval and later monuments of Iona). . 4, 7, 11, 14, 15, 64, No. 81.
- --- SHG3546 Text/Publication/Article: Lethbridge, T C. 1927. Man Vol. 27 1927, p.173-4. Man. 173-4. 173-4; illust.
- --- SHG602 Text/Publication/Article: PSAS. 1985. 'Donations to and purchases for the Museum and Library', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 114 1984, p.597-610. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 597-610. 597, No. 11.
- --- SHG736 Text/Publication/Article: Ritchie, J N G. 1973. 'Excavation of the chambered cairn at Achnacreebeag', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 102 1969-70, p.31-55. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 31-55. 52.
- <1> SHG28278 Dataset/Database File: National Museums Scotland. 2019. Highland Finds from the NMS Catalogue. National Museums Scotland. Digital. HR 1583.
- <2> SHG28513 Text/Record Form/Project Recording Form: Archaeology for Communities in the Highlands (ARCH). 2020. Finds Collection from Highland Area in Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. 1926.502 A-B, 1951.1044.1-28, (1951.1045 A-F, (1951.1046 A-C.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NM 4400 6899 (20m by 20m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NM46NW |
| Civil Parish | ARDNAMURCHAN |
| Geographical Area | LOCHABER |
Finds (12)
- CREMATION (Bronze Age - 2400 BC? to 551 BC?)
- SHERD (Undated)
- BEAKER (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC)
- AXEHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2401 BC)
- BARBED AND TANGED ARROWHEAD (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC)
- FLAKE (Mesolithic to Late Bronze Age - 8000 BC? to 551 BC?)
- KNIFE (Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC? to 551 BC?)
- SIDE SCRAPER (Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC? to 551 BC?)
- MICROLITH (Mesolithic - 8000 BC to 4001 BC)
- SLAG (Undated)
- CORE (Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC? to 551 BC?)
- BORER (Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC? to 551 BC?)
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (1)
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/22122 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
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