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MHG63058 - Mesolithic midden - Tarradale (2B)

Summary

An archaeological excavation of a mesolithic midden at Tarradale, Muir of Ord in 2017 and 2023.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

The Tarradale Archaeological Project started as a private initiative around 2008 and was incorporated as an approved NOSAS research project in 2011. The Tarradale archaeological project aims to investigate and record the surviving archaeological evidence of the multi-period archaeological landscape of the Tarradale area and to interpret the chronological development of settlement and resource utilisation in the study area. <1>

Tarradale Through Time (TTT), funded by the 'Heritage Lottery Fund', investigated the multi-period archaeological landscape around Tarradale House near Muir of Ord, under the direction of the North of Scotland Archaeological Society (NOSAS), between 2017 and 2019. Field-walking by NOSAS had located 8 spreads of shell midden within ploughsoil along the top and base of a raised beach shoreline to the east and west sides of Tarradale House. The middens are believed to represent the earliest occupation evidence at Tarradale, dating to the Mesolithic period, c 7,000-8,000 years ago. A programme of archaeological evaluation and test pitting, led by AOC Archaeology Group and West Coast Archaeological Services, and undertaken by community volunteers, was carried out during October 2017.

The fieldwork included open area excavation on the site of previous evaluation undertaken by NOSAS in 2015 to the southeast of a raised beach terrace at Tarradale House (2B). A rigorous programme of sampling of a shell midden layer has provided information to characterise its content which consists primarily of oyster, cockle, periwinkle and mussel shell along with small amounts of mammal and fish bone, worked bone/antler artefacts and struck stone objects. Several highly significant artefacts were recovered. These include an antler harpoon, fragments of antler mattocks and a bone point. Below the upper shell midden, excavation revealed potential structural remains in the form of stone settings associated with a lower shell-rich layer. <2>

Radiocarbon determinations from shell midden 2B gave dates between 4782 and 3643 BC, the range of more than 1000 years suggesting that the site had been occupied, if not continuosly, at least regularily, and potentially continuing into the early Neolithic period. <3>

The Tarradale Archaeological Team (TAT), the successor to Tarradale Through Time, carried out excavations in late Sept/ early Oct 2023. Site 2B, last excavated in 2017 but not completed, was reopened and extended. Analysis is currently taking place, but part of another antler "T axe" was recovered. Steve Birch once again directed the excavations. <4>

Sources/Archives (4)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 5534 4868 (67m by 19m)
Map sheet	NH54NE
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	KILLEARNAN

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (2)

External Links (2)