Find Spot record MAB47923 - CAOCHANAN RUADHA

A worked stone scatter, including flint and quartz, first identified in 2005, and structure (possibly a shelter) of Mesolithic date with central fire setting recorded during subsequent field investigation in 2013-15.

A worked stone scatter, including flint and quartz, first identified in 2005, and structure (possibly a shelter) of Mesolithic date with central fire setting recorded during subsequent field investigation in 2013-15. The site demonstrates hunter-gatherer used the uplands during a period of significant climatic deterioration. Worked lithics were first discovered in August 2005 during footpath works in Glen Geldie. The artefacts were eroding out of fine sands which have been revealed under the peat along a 4 m stretch of eroding footpath. The site lies on rising ground above the north bank of the Geldie Burn, overlooking a broad basin through which the stream channels of the Caochanan Ruadha flow before joining the Geldie. None of the artefacts collected are diagnostic as to date, but at least one scraper has been identified. The lithics appear to be very fresh and there is a strong possibility that they were in situ. The site was further investigated in May-June 2013. Geophysical survey over an area of 1 ha centred on the flint scatter recorded a relatively coherent cluster of pit type anomalies in the vicinity of the scatter, although these may be of natural origin. Subsequent trial excavation by UCD comprising 80 test pits and three small trenches further examined these anomalies. Only one feature was identified, a substantial deposit of charcoal in Trench 3. Geomorphological assessment of the area demonstrate that the main area of the lithic scatter is a landform of pre-Mesolithic age and that the archaeological material may be in situ. Only a small number of artefacts were recovered during the fieldwork: ten flints and a small number of pieces of possible worked quartz. The flints were small with a high proportion of fragmentary microliths characteristic of the later Mesolithic, a retouched flake and small debitage. Further field work was carried out in June - July 2014. The excavation of almost 80 test pits produced no worked flint. Walkover survey of erosive contexts in the area found a very fine large blade core (NN98NW0006), upstream from the scatter, and possibly of Mesolithic date, although distinguished by its size from the scatter material. A possible arrowhead (NN98NW0007) was also recovered by this survey. Excavation (trench 4) focused on the concentration of artefacts found in a test pit in 2013 produced a clear concentration of flint, a total of 61 artefacts mostly of flint but including some quartz, and including fragmentary blades and microliths, microburins and production waste. The majority was less that 10mm in maximum dimension, and was frequently lightly burnt. A small pit was also recorded in this area of the trench. The artefacts appear to have been clustered around a fire setting/pit, from which yew charcoal has been dated to 6215 - 6050 cal BC. A further season of fieldwork was undertaken by University College Dublin in July 2015, mainly to extend the 2014 trench. It confirmed that the cluster of artefacts covered an area of circa 2.5 by 3 m, focused on the charcoal rich fire-setting. The tight distribution of artefacts suggests that there had been some kind of structure in this area, interpreted as a light shelter. From the two seasons of fieldwork the lithic assemblage includes circa 100 flint artefacts (with small amounts of worked quartz) technologically dominated by microliths. The site appears to be a very specialist and possibly short-term settlement. Some 50 m downslope from this excavation trench, four lithics were identified in an eroding footpath, corresponding to the location of 2005 surface finds, and focus of a 2013 test pit which had produced no artefacts. Excavation of a 2 m by 2 m trial trench in 2015 uncovered an irregular charcoal spread associated with a further 12 flint artefacts, some burnt and fragmented in situ. Use-wear analysis of the lithics, along with their general technology, suggests that activities at the shelter focused on the manufacture and maintenance of microlithic artefacts for obtaining and processing animal carcasses and pant material. Radiocarbon dates indicate occupation of the shelter in the period 6220-6060 BC, probably contemporary with one of the phases of activity at Chest of Dee (NO08NW0042).

Period Notes
Radiocarbon dating: SUERC-58040 (GU36381), 7252 +/-30BP, calibrated to 6215-6053 BC (Oxcal 4.3, 2 sigma); SUERC-58041 (GU36382, 7259+/-30 BP, calibrated to 6215-6059 BC (Oxcal 4.3, 2 sigma); SUERC-6781- (GU41145), 7150+/-30 BP, calibrated to 6068-5986 BC (Oxcal 4.3, 2 sigma); SUERC-67814 (GU41146), 7210 +/-30 BP, calibrated to 6114-6009 BC (Oxcal 4.3, 2 sigma)

BBC NEWS WEBSITE, , BBC NEWS WEBSITE, 09/07/15 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3784.

FRASER, S, , BRIDGING THE GAP: NEW EVIDENCE FOR MONTANE OCCUPATION IN THE SCOTTISH MESOLITHIC (DRAFT), Draft (Bibliographic reference). SAB4158.

FRASER, S. M., 2006, DES VOL6, 2005, p.14 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2480.

lithic scatter

CLARKE, A, 2007, Mar Lodge Report on 3 lithic scatters (Bibliographic reference). SAB3968.

lithic scatter

ROSE GEOPHYSICAL CONSULTANTS, 2013, GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY REPORT CAOCHANAN RUADHA, Geophysical survey (Bibliographic reference). SAB3173.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2014, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, NEW SERIES, VOLUME 14, 2013, pp.17-18 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5483.

WARREN, G, 2014, UCD SCHOOL OF ARCHAEOLOGY FIELDWORK, MAR LODGE ESTATE: UPPER DEE TRIBUTARIES PROJECT 2014 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3452.

ARCAHEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2015, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND. NEW SERIES, VOLUME 15, 2014, p.20 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5542.

WARREN, G, 2015, UCD SCHOOL OF ARCHAEOLOGY FIELDWORK, MAR LODGE ESTATE: UPPER DEE TRIBUTARIES PROJECT 2015 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3451.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2016, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, NEW SERIES, VOLUME 16, 2015, p.15 (Bibliographic reference). SAB6502.

WARREN, G, 2018, LITTLE HOUSE IN THE MOUNTAINS? A SMALL MESOLITHIC STRUCTURE FROM THE CAIRNGORM MOUNTAINS, SCOTLAND. IN JASR 18 (2018) 936-945 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3432.

WICKHAM-JONES, C, 2020, NEW EVIDENCE FOR UPLAND OCCUPATION IN THE MESOLITHIC OF SCOTLAND. IN PPS DOI:10.1017/PPR.2020.8 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3447.

Record last edited

Apr 10 2024 1:56PM