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MHG59071 - Lithic Assemblage - South Cuidrach

Summary

Pre-Mesolithic and Mesolithic lithic finds have been collected from the surface and recovered by shovel-pitting on the shore at South Cuidrach, Uig, Skye.

Type and Period (2)

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Full Description

Lithics have been recovered from a section of coastline at South Cuidrach, Uig, Skye for several years. These have mainly been of Mesolithic type but in March 2017, another, more extensive lithic assemblage was discovered which was clearly not Mesolithic, with its nature and context suggesting that this assemblage was pre-Mesolithic. This material had been disturbed by a newly created farm track, the active use of which and unusual nature of the lithic assemblage led to a survey of shovel and test pits by Karen Hardy and Martin Wildgoose in 2017. The intention of this was to locate the source of the artefacts and determine whether an in situ site still existed. Further lithic material was found from most of these shovel pits, and a highly compacted land surface, approximately 10-20cm in depth was discovered in a section through the raised beach. Much of the non-Mesolithic material, where recovered from the test and shovel pitting, was either lying on or embedded within this deposit.
A preliminary evaluation of the lithic assemblage has found that the non-Mesolithic material comprised mostly of Staffin baked mudstone, supplemented by a small number of pieces in tuff. Some of the Late Upper Paleolithic pieces identified included a blade with a surviving platform-edge at its distal end, a tanged or backed point, an end scraper with an acute working edge, and a combined burin/side-scraper tool.
It was concluded that more detailed work is required to investigate the extent of the human occupation of South Cuidrach and to locate in situ deposits. <1>

Sources/Archives (1)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 3837 5771 (28m by 87m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NG35NE
Geographical Area	SKYE AND LOCHALSH
Civil Parish	SNIZORT

Finds (0)

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Related Investigations/Events (1)

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