Monument record MHG18470 - Milton of Culloden

NH74NW 81 7116 4704

Monitoring of the Inverness-Dingwall Gas Pipeline revealed the remains of a shell midden with a microlithic industry in association.
Sponsors: British Gas; Highland Regional Council.
J Wordsworth 1992. <1>

An area of crushed /compacted shell with associated black silt. Mussel, winkle, oyster shell & dog whelk were identified. Fairly decomposed. Margins of feature difficult to establish as it is probably the residue of a much more extensive feature.
Some of the material may have been incorporated into the later kiln, identified alongside the midden. This was interpreted as a mesolithic? Shell midden, largely truncated by later ploughing and other activities. A small excavation was carried out and details of this are described separately in an appendix to this report. A separate numbering system was set up for this. In summary the findings of the excavation where that this was probably was the residue of a shell midden associated with a microlithic industry. The features were severely truncated by later activity including an active mole population, making interpretation of individual features impossible. <2>

The NGRs given in <2> and <3> would seem to be incorrect. The NGR used resembles a site much closer to the easement of the pipeline, and calculated from maps supplied by J Wordworth. These will be lodged in the NMRS. <3>