Duncan Garrow - Neolithic Stepping Stones: Excavation and Survey Within the Western Seaways of Britain, 2008-2014

NEOLITHIC STEPPING STONES

E XCAVATION AND S URVEY WITHIN THE W ESTERN S EAWAYS OF B RITAIN , 20082014

DUNCAN GARROW AND FRASER STURT

With contributions by

Hugo Anderson-Whymark, Anwen Cooper, Mike Copper, Elise Fraser,

Charles French, Seren Griffiths, Donovan Hawley, Julie Jones, Ceren Kabukcu,

Anne Pirie, Henrietta Quinnell, John Renouf, Katharine Sawyer, Rob Scaife,

Roger Taylor, Martin Tingle and Jaco Weinstock

Published in the United Kingdom in 2017 by

OXBOW BOOKS

The Old Music Hall, 106108 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1JE

and in the United States by

OXBOW BOOKS

1950 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083

Oxbow Books and the individual contributors 2017

Paperback Edition: ISBN 978-1-78570-347-8

Digital Edition: ISBN 978-1-78570-348-5 (epub)

Kindle Edition: ISBN 978-1-78570-349-2 (mobi)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Garrow, Duncan, editor. | Sturt, Fraser, editor.

Title: Neolithic stepping stones : excavation and survey within the western seaways of Britain, 2008-2014 / edited by Duncan Garrow and Fraser Sturt.

Description: Oxford ; Philadelphia : Oxbow Books, 2017. | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2017013347 (print) | LCCN 2017027167 (ebook) | ISBN 9781785703485 (epub) | ISBN 9781785703492 (mobi) | ISBN 9781785703508 (pdf) | ISBN 9781785703478 (paperback)

Subjects: LCSH: Stepping Stones Project. | Neolithic period--Great Britain. | Excavations (Archaeology)--Great Britain. | Archaeological surveying--Great Britain. | Great Britain--Antiquities. | Guernsey--Antiquities. | Isles of Scilly (England)--Antiquities. | South Uist (Scotland)--Antiquities.

Classification: LCC GN776.22.G7 (ebook) | LCC GN776.22.G7 N457 2017 (print) | DDC 936.1--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017013347

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Front and back cover: Excavation underway at An Doirlinn, South Uist (photos: D. Garrow)

Fig. 1.01 Map of the western seaways showing island groups.

Fig. 1.02 Eustatic curve for the study area.

Fig. 1.03 Relative sea-level curves from different parts of the study area.

Fig. 1.04 Overview of the changes that occurred across the whole study region from 9000 BC to AD 1.

Fig. 1.05 Channel Islands palaeogeography.

Fig. 1.06 Isles of Scilly palaeogeography.

Fig. 1.07 Outer Hebrides palaeogeography.

Fig. 2.01 LEre landfall view.

Fig. 2.02 LEre site location.

Fig. 2.03 LEre site location (detailed).

Fig. 2.04 LEree: geographical location at the time of occupation.

Fig. 2.05 Trench 11 under excavation in 2010.

Fig. 2.06 The soil sequence at LEree, Trench 6.

Fig. 2.07 Pottery density plot within buried soils.

Fig. 2.08 Flint density plot within buried soils.

Fig. 2.09 All prehistoric features at LEree.

Fig. 2.10 Trench 11 features.

Fig. 2.11 Hearths F8 and F9, seen in 2009 test pit (top) and hearth F16, seen at edge of 2010 trench (bottom).

Fig. 2.12 Photo of stakeholes and other features at the eastern end of Trench 11.

Fig. 2.13 Ditch F21 in Trench 16.

Fig. 2.14 Middle Neolithic pottery.

Fig. 2.15 Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic (undecorated) pottery.

Fig. 2.16 Chalcolithic (decorated) pottery.

Fig. 2.17 Bronze Age pottery (and sherds from Trench 3).

Fig. 2.1819 Flint.

Fig. 2.20 Polished stone ring.

Fig. 2.21 Quern and rubber-stone.

Fig. 2.22 Particle size analysis and loss on ignition results.

Fig. 2.23 Model output for radiocarbon dated samples at LEre.

Fig. 2.24 Photo showing the different levels in Trench 11.

Fig. 3.01 Old Quay landfall view.

Fig. 3.02 Old Quay site location.

Fig. 3.03 Old Quay site location (detailed).

Fig. 3.04 Old Quay: geographical location at the time of occupation.

Fig. 3.05 Test pits under excavation.

Fig. 3.06 Test pit 28 under excavation in 2013.

Fig. 3.07 Aerial view of Trenches 28, 36 and 37 under excavation in 2014.

Fig. 3.08 Flint density plot within buried soils.

Fig. 3.09 Pottery density plot within buried soils.

Fig. 3.10 Trenches 28, 38, 39 all features.

Fig. 3.11 Trench 28, with all features excavated.

Fig. 3.12 Photo of post-hole F49, half-sectioned.

Fig. 3.13 Trench 19 features.

Fig. 3.14 Photo of Trench 19, looking north-west.

Fig. 3.15 Trench 32 features.

Fig. 3.16 Photo of Trench 32, looking north-east.

Fig. 3.17 Trenches 8, 14 and 25 features.

Fig. 3.18 Roman pit F27, half-sectioned.

Fig. 3.1920 Neolithic pottery.

Fig. 3.21 Bronze Age pottery.

Fig. 3.223.28 Flint.

Fig. 3.29 Stone adze.

Fig. 3.303.33 Worked and utilised stone.

Fig. 3.343.35 Pumice.

Fig. 3.36 Model output for Neolithic radiocarbon dates obtained at Old Quay.

Fig. 3.37 Model output for all radiocarbon dates obtained at Old Quay.

Fig. 4.01 An Doirlinn landfall view.

Fig. 4.02 An Dorilinn site location.

Fig. 4.03 Satellite image of An Dorilinn.

Fig. 4.04 Landscape characterisation map of the Outer Hebrides.

Fig. 4.05 An Doirlinn: geographical location at the time of occupation.

Fig. 4.06 Excavation in progress at An Doirlinn, looking east.

Fig. 4.07 Work underway and section being drawn.

Fig. 4.08 Drawing of south-east facing section prior to excavation.

Fig. 4.09 Photo of cleaned south-east facing section prior to excavation.

Fig. 4.10 Phase 1a plan.

Fig. 4.11 Pit F26, containing the almost complete pot, under excavation.

Fig. 4.12 Hearth F15.

Fig. 4.13 Pot deposit [67].

Fig. 4.14 Phase 1b plan.

Fig. 4.15 Hearth F16.

Fig. 4.16 Phase 2 plan.

Fig. 4.17 Hearths F8/9, looking north.

Fig. 4.18 Pit F11, half-sectioned.

Fig. 4.19 Hearth F5/10, looking south.

Fig. 4.20 Finds densities plan for [41/42/47].

Fig. 4.21 Phase 3 deposits.

Fig. 4.22 Pit F2, looking south-west.

Fig. 4.234.24 Hebridean pottery.

Fig. 4.25 Grooved Ware and Beaker pottery.

Fig. 4.26 Rim types at An Doirlinn.

Fig. 4.27 Sherds by phase.

Fig. 4.28 Phase 1 pottery rim diameters.

Fig. 4.294.31 Flint.

Fig. 4.324.34 Worked stone.

Fig. 4.354.36 Pumice.

Fig. 4.37 Model output for radiocarbon dated phases at An Doirlinn.

Fig. 4.38 Pottery: percentage of total site assembage in each main layer group.

Fig. 4.39 Flint/quartz: percentage of total site assembage in each main layer group.

Fig. 4.40 Timespans of extensively excavated Neolithic/EBA settlement sites in the Outer Hebrides.

Table 1.01 Neolithic and EBA pottery typologies and their approximate dates in north-west France