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MHG58115 - Shieling Hut - ARISAIG

Summary

The footing of a small rectangular building was identified in programmes of work by CFA and Headland archaeology in advance of the development of a new road corridor.

Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

NM 6639 8656 (Arisaig) to NM 6790 9194 (Kinsadel) Following field survey and test pitting (DES 2000, 47), evaluation work was undertaken on seven sites.

The footing of a small rectangular building was identified in programmes of work by CFA and Headland archaeology in advance of the development of a new road corridor (site 6c). It was identified as a shieling, measuring 3 x 5m aligned N-S and defined on three sides by stony banks 0.7m wide and upto 0.4m high. The N end was ill defined. An evaluation trench was cut through it exposing the footings of turf and stone walls. No traces of any occupation deposits were seen above the natural subsoil nor were any artefacts retrieved. <1>

The size and shape of the structures indicated that it represented remains of shieling hut and the absence of artefacts suggested an 18th-century or earlier date. Similar structures were identified approximately 220m to the NE (MHG37953). Approximately 25m to the NE were three circular stone features of unknown function (MHG58041). Excavation of one of these structures produced middle Bronze Age, early medieval and medieval radiocarbon dated deposits below the surface stone feature. This indicates some sort of temporary reuse of the area since prehistory, and this shieling is simply the most recent hut to be built on the site and, along with those to the NE, represents the continued use of a summer shieling in the area into the post-medieval period. <2>

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NM 6666 8998 (2m by 4m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NM68NE
Civil Parish	ARISAIG AND MOIDART
Geographical Area	LOCHABER

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