Port Charlotte Chambered Cairn, Islay: An Interim Note

Harrington, Peter; Pierpoint, S J

doi:10.3366/gas.1980.7.7.113

Cited by 8 publications

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“…The pre-mound surface at Port Charlotte, Islay, has two mixed charcoal/ hazelnut shell dates of 5020±90 BP (HAR-3487) and 4940±90 BP (HAR-3486), associated with flints, hazelnut shells and possible sheep bones. Charcoal from underneath a monolith in one of the chambers, however, provides somewhat later dates that may refer to the construction phase of the monument (Harrington and Pierpoint 1980). Nevertheless, if the identification of the sheep is valid, then clearly 'Neolithic' elements were present on the site prior to the monument's construction.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For the purposes of comparison we also discuss the recently published isotopic values and AMS dates on fragmentary human remains from the Mesolithic shell middens of Oronsay (Richards and Mellars 1998;Richards and Sheridan 2000), together with other selected recently published dates and isotope values on Neolithic and later humans. Unfortunately, attempts to locate the small human bone fragments reported for the earlier Neolithic chambered tomb of Port Charlotte on Islay (Harrington and Pierpoint 1980) have thus far been unsuccessful. Clive Bonsall (2000;Bonsall et al 2002, in press) is pursuing a complementary palaeodietary and dating study on human remains from the sites of Carding Mill Bay II, Raschoille Cave and Ulva Cave.…”

Section: Site Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Crarae dates thus fit reasonably well with dates from other Clyde cairns in the area: 4860±115 BP (I-5974: 3940-3370 cal. BC) on charcoal immediately underlying Glenvoidean on Bute, similarly located near a raised beach (Marshall and Taylor 1977); 5110±110 BP (Q-675: 4220-3660 cal BC) from a forecourt hearth at Monamore on Arran (MacKie 1964); and 5020±90 BP (HAR-3487) and 4940±70 BP (HAR-3486) (average 3940-3640 cal BC) on mixed charcoal/hazelnut shell from the pre-mound surface at Port Charlotte, Islay (Harrington and Pierpoint 1980).…”

Section: The Importance Of Timing: the Ams Dates And A Note On Calibrmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The wet, the wild and the domesticated: The Mesolithic–Neolithic transition on the west coast of Scotland

Richards

2002

Eur. j. archaeol.

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Models of the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition in Britain in recent years have tended to downplay the role of changes in the subsistence economy, emphasizing a very gradual adoption of new domesticated resources. This view has been particularly pervasive for the west coast of Scotland, which in the context of Britain presents a relatively marginal environment for farming. In this article, we challenge this too-quickly emerging orthodoxy through the presentation and discussion of both new and previously published stable isotope data and AMS dates. The palaeodietary information, while limited, strongly suggests a very rapid and complete change in the subsistence economy coincident with the earliest manifestations of the Neolithic on the west coast of Scotland early in the fourth millennium cal. BC. Whatever explanation is invoked to account for the transition needs to engage with the isotopic data. The possibility of colonization at some level needs to be seriously reconsidered.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Site Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Importance Of Timing: the Ams Dates And A Note On Calibrmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The wet, the wild and the domesticated: The Mesolithic–Neolithic transition on the west coast of Scotland

Richards

2002

Eur. j. archaeol.

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“…There are at present no radiocarbon dates from the Clyde sites in Dumfries and Galloway, although dates from the Clyde sites elsewhere support an early date (eg, Port Charlotte, Islay; Harrington & Pierpoint 1980). Bargrennan monuments, however, are more difficult to date as there are no radiocarbon dates or diagnostic material from any of the sites.…”

Section: Issues Of Chronology and Usementioning

confidence: 89%

Between Mountains and Sea: a Reconsideration of the Neolithic Monuments of South-west Scotland

Cummings

2002

Proc. Prehist. Soc.

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For many years the chambered tombs of south-west Scotland were considered important in understanding the origins of monumentality in Britain. In particular scholars focused on the classification of these monuments in order to understand how ideas about the Neolithic may have spread along and across the Irish Sea. However, the classification of these monuments may be rather more problematic than was once imagined. Among other things, the excavation of a number of them has revealed complex and diverse construction sequences. This paper presents the results of an examination of the landscape settings of the chambered tombs in south-west Scotland. It suggests that a landscape approach can assist in our understanding of the classification and use of these monuments. In addition, the setting of sites within the landscape can also inform us about the nature of the Neolithic in this region of Scotland.

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“…For instance, the true relationship between the introduction of farming and of chambered cairn construction is poorly documented. The earliest dates from Scottish chambered tombs are from bulk samples which for the most part relate neither to use nor construction but to activity on underlying old ground surfaces as at Port Charlotte (Harrington and Pierpoint 1980;RCAHMS 1984:50-2) and Camster (Masters 1997:133, 157) or, as at Monamore, are arguably either less precise than claimed or misinterpreted (MacKie 1966a(MacKie , 1966b. Although an age from Tulloch of Assery B for animal bones on the floor of the tomb (Sharples 1986) may hint that the commonly accepted picture of construction and use of chambered tombs starting around 4000 BC, or at least significantly earlier than 3500 BC, is not far wrong, it may equally well be that chambered tombs were first built in Scotland at a significantly later date than the introduction of farming.…”

Section: An Overview Of Radiocarbon Research In Scottish Archaeologymentioning

confidence: 99%

A Radiocarbon Database for Scottish Archaeological Samples

Ashmore¹,

Cook²,

Harkness³

2000

Radiocarbon

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ABSTRACT. For the majority of dating laboratories and their respective user communities, the journal Radiocarbon is no longer regarded as the medium for primary publication of radiocarbon measurements. In compliance with editorial policy, the emphasis has long since moved towards the publication of research papers on technological enhancements and applications of 14 C as well as other cosmogenic isotopes and this has left a requirement for an alternative medium for the publication of date lists per se. In the late 1980s, an International Radiocarbon Data Base was proposed by Renee Kra (then the managing editor) but limitations in computer and communications technologies together with the inevitable financial implications meant that this timely concept could not be taken to completion. In the last year, we have taken advantage of the development of the worldwide web to compile a database of 14 C age measurements of a Scottish archaeological nature which can be found at the web address http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/.

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Port Charlotte Chambered Cairn, Islay: An Interim Note

Cited by 8 publications

References 0 publications

The wet, the wild and the domesticated: The Mesolithic–Neolithic transition on the west coast of Scotland

The wet, the wild and the domesticated: The Mesolithic–Neolithic transition on the west coast of Scotland

Between Mountains and Sea: a Reconsideration of the Neolithic Monuments of South-west Scotland

A Radiocarbon Database for Scottish Archaeological Samples

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