Site Event/Activity record EHG105 - Section recording - Smoo Cave, Durness
Location
Location | Smoo Cave |
---|---|
Grid reference | Centred NC 41890 67115 (3m by 19m) |
Map sheet | NC46NW |
Geographical Area | SUTHERLAND |
Operational Area | CAITHNESS SUTHERLAND AND EASTER ROSS |
Civil Parish | DURNESS |
Technique(s)
Organisation
Glasgow University (GUARD)
Date
March 1992
Description
GUARD were contracted by Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise to carry out the archaeological investigation of an eroding shell midden in Smoo Cave, Sutherland, in 1992, prior to the construction of a protective wall. This work involved the cutting back, sampling and recording of the eroding section. This resulted in the identification of several occupation/activity horizons. The shell midden, the earliest phases of which apeared to be Iron Age, represented the latest phase of this activity. The earliest deposits, which were substantially lower than the present cave floor, may represent Mesolithic activity within the cave. There were several features which were present in the initial section in an extremely denuded state that did not survive a further trowelling, thus providing further evidence of the destructive power of the nearby river, the Allt Smoo. These ephemeral features included a cut pit, which may have been a posthole and the last remnants of a possible hearth. In order to accommodate the revetting wall, while at the same time removing as little material as possible, the section face was cut back on three planes. The investigation also brought to light a further shell midden located in a former cave some 50m to the north-west of Smoo Cave. <1>
Published report. <2>
Sources/Archives (30)
- <1> SHG2625 Text/Report/Fieldwork Report: Pollard, T.. 1992. Archaeological excavation of Smoo Cave, Sutherland for Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise. Glasgow University (GUARD). 30/01/1992. Paper and Digital.
- <1> SHG12182 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12183 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12184 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12185 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12186 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12187 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12188 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12189 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12190 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12191 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. .
- <1> SHG12192 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12193 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12194 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12195 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12196 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12197 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12198 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12199 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. .
- <1> SHG12200 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12201 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12202 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12203 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12204 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12205 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo-Polue. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12179 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo Cave. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12180 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo Cave. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12181 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo Cave. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <1> SHG12503 Image/Photograph(s): Pollard, T.. 1992. Smoo. Colour Slide. . Original & digital.
- <2> SHG25726 Text/Report/Fieldwork Report: Pollard, T. et al. 2005. The excavation of four caves in the Geodha Smoo near Durness, Sutherland (SAIR 18). Glasgow University (GUARD). Digital.
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
- MHG11597 Smoo Cave (Monument)
Record last edited
Oct 17 2014 2:36PM