An Corran, Staffin, Skye: a rockshelter with Mesolithic and later occupation

Saville, Alan; Hardy, Karen; Miket, Roger; Ballin, Torben Bjarke; Bartosiewicz, László; Bruce, Margaret; Carter, Stephen; Cowie, Trevor; Craig, Oliver; Hallén, Ywonne; Holden, Timothy G.; Kerr, N W; Miller, Jennifer; Milner, Nicky; Pickard, Catriona; Braby, Alan; O'Neil, Marion; Angus, Craig

doi:10.9750/issn.1773-3803.2012.51

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Ballin et al (2018: 109-110) list further sporadic finds and undated assemblages that might be Late Pleistocene in date on the basis of their technological characteristics. With regard to the Early Holocene, assemblages with broad blade microliths (isoscoles triangles, obliquely blunted points) similar to those found in the English Early Mesolithic, such as at Star Carr, have been recovered from Morton, Glenbatrick and An Corran (Coles 1971;Mercer 1974;Saville et al 2012). These also remain undated and highly scarce in comparison to the abundance of narrow blade assemblages with small, geometric microliths.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 82%

A tanged point and two blade technologies from Rubha Port an t-Seilich, Isle of Islay, western Scotland

Berg-Hansen

Wicks

Mithen

2019

JLS

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We describe a tanged point and a blade technology from Rubha Port an t-Seilich, Isle of Islay, Scotland that provides further support to a Late Pleistocene or Early Holocene presence in Scotland prior to the establishment of the narrow blade Mesolithic industry. The existing evidence for a Late Pleistocene or early Holocene presence comes from isolated finds of tanged points (Tiree, Shieldig, Brodgar), undated assemblages from disturbed contexts that are most likely Late Pleistocene in date (Howburn, Kilmefort Cave), and undated assemblages containing broad blade microliths (e.g., Glenbatrick, Morton). This article provides a summary of recent excavations and the stratigraphy at Rubha Port an t-Seilich, and a detailed analysis the lithic blade blank production at the site, which is, we believe, the first application of a chaîne opératoire based approach to a Scottish assemblage. The study includes comparisons with contemporary assemblages from north-western Europe. The significance of the Rubha Port an t-Seilich finds is threefold: (1) the relative large size of the assemblage that allows a technological analysis; (2) the finds partially derive from a stratified context below a narrow blade assemblage, associated with radiocarbon dates 9301-7750 cal. BP; and (3) further excavation can increase the sample size and potentially expose an in situ Late Pleistocene or early Holocene cultural horizon.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 82%

A tanged point and two blade technologies from Rubha Port an t-Seilich, Isle of Islay, western Scotland

Berg-Hansen

Wicks

Mithen

2019

JLS

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“…For example, alongside fully oxidised cremated remains we find articulated inhumations which have been charred within the grave (Brandon, Co. Durham; Trechmann 1914), disarticulated burials charred elsewhere (Aldwincle, Northamptonshire; Jackson 1976) and mixed deposits of cremated and disarticulated material (Marsden Cist 2 at Bee Low, Derbyshire; Marsden 1970). Similarly, disarticulation can be seen as a spectrum: from bodies with elements removed (Babraham Road, Cambridgeshire; Hinman 2001), to scattered groups of bones (Stanton Harcourt XV, Oxfordshire; Hamlin & Case 1963), to isolated skeletal elements (An Corran, Skye, Highland; Saville et al 2012). Collectively, the burials suggest the existence of a spectrum of practices involving the application of fire and the separation of skeletal elements, rather than cremation/inhumation or intact/disarticulated dichotomies.…”

Section: The Prehistoric Societymentioning

confidence: 99%

Funerary Diversity and Cultural Continuity: The British Beaker Phenomenon Beyond the Stereotype

Bloxam¹,

Pearson²

2022

Proc. Prehist. Soc.

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The Beaker phenomenon in Britain is typically represented by a particular form of pottery and its inclusion in graves with flexed or crouched inhumations referred to as Beaker burials. Analysis of the full range of burial evidence, however, reveals a high degree of variability in funerary rites including cremation and skeletal disarticulation. Summed probability distribution analysis of radiocarbon dates provides evidence for continuity of these other, atypical rites from the pre-Beaker Late Neolithic (c. 3000–2450 cal bc) through the Chalcolithic (c. 2450–2200 cal bc) and into the Early Bronze Age (after c. 2200 cal bc). Regional diversity is apparent in Beaker period funerary treatments and grave good provision between these typical and atypical rites, as is differential selection of rites on the basis of age and biological sex. This evidence for within and between community funerary diversity has implications for understanding the large-scale processes of cultural and genomic transformation across this period of major transition in British prehistory.

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“…Note: uncertainty over dietary endpoints of ±1‰ equates to uncertainty in the proportion of marine resources in diet of c. ±10% [62]. Data from [2,9,10,29,30,40,63,64]. LMMs have limited applicability.…”

Section: Diet Reconstruction Using Linear Mixing Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reassessing Neolithic Diets in Western Scotland

Pickard

2022

Humans

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Although marine resources are known to have been exploited by both foragers and early farmers in Scotland, the importance of seafood to the diets of Neolithic groups has been widely debated. Here we present paired stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) and radiocarbon measurements on Early Neolithic human remains from Raschoille Cave in Oban. These are compared with published data for other sites in western Scotland and used to re-evaluate the use of marine resources by the first farmers. The diets of Late Mesolithic foragers and Early Neolithic farmers were modelled from stable isotope data using both Linear and Bayesian (FRUITS) mixing models. Our FRUITS dietary models indicate that Mesolithic foragers obtained much of their dietary protein and calories from marine resources, consistent with the predominance of shellfish, fish and sea mammal remains in their shell middens. Of note is the large proportion of dietary calories obtained from plant foods, which is like that of the early farming groups. The diets of Early Neolithic farmers appear relatively homogeneous across Scotland. Plant foods were the primary source of calories. Meat and/or dairy from terrestrial mammals were the most important source of dietary protein. Marine resources were, at most, a minor component of the ‘lifetime’ diet.

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An Corran, Staffin, Skye: a rockshelter with Mesolithic and later occupation

Cited by 7 publications

References 28 publications

A tanged point and two blade technologies from Rubha Port an t-Seilich, Isle of Islay, western Scotland

A tanged point and two blade technologies from Rubha Port an t-Seilich, Isle of Islay, western Scotland

Funerary Diversity and Cultural Continuity: The British Beaker Phenomenon Beyond the Stereotype

Reassessing Neolithic Diets in Western Scotland

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