For over 120 years, the shell middens of western Scotland and the series of open-air sites on Oronsay have been the focus of debate in European Mesolithic studies. This paper challenges the significance of Oronsay in light of results from the geophysical survey and test-excavation of a new limpet and periwinkle shell midden dated to the late 5th or start of the 4th millennium cal bc at Port Lobh, Colonsay that offers fresh evidence to re-evaluate critically the role of Oronsay and coastal resources in island settlement models ahead of the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition. Test excavations recovered a marine molluscan assemblage dominated by limpet and periwinkle shells together with crab, sea urchin, a fishbone assemblage composed mainly of Gadidae, some identifiable bird and mammal bone, carbonised macroplant remains, and pumice as well as a bipolar lithic assemblage and coarse stone implements. Novel seasonality studies of saithe otolith thin-sections suggest wintertime tidal fishing practices. At least two activity events may be discerned, dating from the late 5th millennium cal bc. The midden could represent a small number of rapidly deposited assemblages or maybe the result of stocastic events within a more extended timeframe. We argue that alternative research questions are needed to advance long-standing debates about seasonal inter-island mobility versus island sedentism that look beyond Oronsay to better understand later Mesolithic occupation patterns and the formation and date of Oronsay middens. We propose alternative methodological strategies to aid identification of contemporaneous sites using geophysical techniques and lithic technological signatures.

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Two excavations within the medieval burgh provided the opportunity to investigate an early industrial zone on the western side of Meal Vennel and a relatively rich undeveloped area in the backlands of Scott Street. The artefact rich Meal Vennel excavation revealed evidence of a possible early western boundary of the town, timber and stone buildings and industrial activities including grain drying and iron smithing. Backland activities including sand quarrying, the digging of rubbish pits and dumping of midden, were investigated at Scott Street. A number of questions relating to the medieval development of Perth were addressed. `Excavations at Meal Vennel' by Richard Sermon & Adrian Cox (736--51), including: `The pottery' by Peter Cheer (753--9); a gold and sapphire ring and the copper alloy objects including dress fasteners/fittings and keys, a mount and fittings, needles, padlock components, pendants, pins, rivets, seal matrix, sheets and strips, thimbles and tweezers; lead alloy objects; iron objects including arrowheads, buckles, horse equipment, household ironwork, and knives are detailed along with a `Metallurgy of the knives' by Paul Harrison (776--7), locks and keys, structural ironwork, and tools; stone objects; bone and antler objects including perforated bones and horn cores, horn-working evidence, pins, antler offcuts; the glass including a bead, linen smoother(?) and window glass; `Coins and a jetton' by Nicholas Holmes (789--90); `The flint' by Jill Harden (790 & 791); ceramic roof tiles; industrial residues; `The leather' by Clare Thomas (792); `The animal bone' by Catherine Smith (792--4); and `Botanical remains' by Alan Fairweather (795). `Excavations at Scott Street' by Jonathan Burrows (795--801) is followed by the specialist reports from that site including: `The pottery' by Peter Cheer (801--4); copper alloy objects; lead alloy objects; iron objects; stone objects; the wooden cask; `Textiles' by Thea Gabra-Sanders (810--11); ceramic floor tiles; glass; clay pipes; `Coins' by Nicholas Holmes (812); `Mammal and bird bone' by Catherine Smith (812--13); `Botanical remains' by Alan Fairweather (813--14).

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In early 2005 a cluster of orthostat stones was exposed by coastal erosion at Meur, Sanday, Orkney. The excavation revealed a stone trough within the centre of an open space defined by walls. It was associated with at least one compartment and a secondary corbelled cistern with an overflow drain and was surrounded by a mound of dark soil and burnt stones. This burnt mound structure, comparable with other burnt mounds in the Northern Isles, was occupied at some time between the late 2 nd millennium and the mid 1 st millennium BC. The evidence from Meur and its comparison with evidence from elsewhere strongly indicates cooking as the primary function of this burnt mound. It is proposed that such cooking took the form of communal feasts that served to optimise the limited resources of the island's land holdings and so maintain social cohesion. This accords with evidence from elsewhere on Sanday for social and economic stability throughout this period.