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MHG5166 - Souterrain - Allt Na Cille

Summary

A souterrain to the west of the Allt Na Cille.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

A souterrain to the west of the Allt Na Cille, Strath, Skye.

The site was subject to trial excavation/sampling by R Miket of the Skye and Lochalsh Museums Service (Dulachas) in 1988. Report not yet forthcoming as of 28/06/2024.

The site was included in an inventory of souterrains on Skye by R Miket. The souterrain is located above the lower slopes between Drinan and Glasnacille. West of a point where the track from the east crosses the Alt na Cille and diverts southwards, a deserted dwelling stands amidst relict rig and furrow. Behind this is a field dyke shrouded in light birch woodland, above which the slope increases. At a distance of some 5m from this dyke, and some 15m to the north-east of a small stream, an artificial cutting 3m long and 2.2m (max.) wide leads to the mouth of the souterrain.

This is a rock-cut souterrain with an entrance, 1m wide, 0.84m high and 2m in depth, lintelled by two sandstone capstones. In plan it is a reversed Z 11.5m long, though for most of its length the lintels rest directly upon bedrock. In two places it has been necessary to raise the height of the souterrain roof above the rock by introducing low walling: firstly at the centre bar of the Z, where the floor rises at a 35° angle, and secondly at the inner end of the souterrain, where it rises into the overlying soil.

The change in direction producing the unusual Z shape was due to an intrusive dyke of basalt encountered by the builders. It is possible that the rock cleft which became the entrance existed before work began, as this souterrain is inordinately large for one from Skye. Only after the dyke was encountered was it realised that a realignment of the souterrain would be necessary. This obstacle need not have affected the intended position of the terminus, for the gallery was subsequently realigned. However, the gentle curve assumed in the earlier stage betrays the intention of a more gently curving course, confounded by the basalt intrusion.

The internal height ranges from 1.4m at the entrance to 1.8m where the V-shaped floor rises at a 35° angle. The roof in its final stages lies at a height of c.0.88m above a floor rising at c.10°, and terminating at a simple butt-end. At this point lintels have subsequently been removed or collapsed. The souterrain terminates beneath a sub-rectangular earth and stone structure at the surface. The structure measures internally c.10m north-south by 4m east-west. Indications of either the quarry for the capstones, or a ruinous second souterrain, lie 300m to the west of the souterrain at NG 5370 1420.

Sample excavation within the gallery at its inner, western, end produced a fragment of a clay loom-weight and charcoal from the souterrain floor. Paleobotanical material from the flooring included alder (Altus), hazel (Corylus), willow (salix), hulled six-row barley (hordeum vulgare var vulgare), pale persicaria (persicaria lapathifolia) and chickweed (stellaria media). Radiocarbon assay was obtained from this material. <1>

See link to Scottish Radiocarbon database for details of radiocarbon results (uncalibrated).

The site was included in the 2012 Broadford ARCH Community Timeline Project. <2>

A radiocarbon date was obtained producing a date of 51 BC-379 AD calibrated to 2 sigma. Charcoal from the terminal chamber is in Skye & Lochalsh Archive Centre (2019), under Acc. No. 1988.5.2. <3>

The description of the location of the site and the plan provided in <1> cannot be verified with any features visible on available vertical aerial photographs. As such the grid reference has been moved to that given in <1> [IS-L 04/07/2024].

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 5395 1416 (40m by 39m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NG51SW
Geographical Area	SKYE AND LOCHALSH
Civil Parish	STRATH

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