Monument record MHG497 - Stone Working Site, Acharn Farm

A number of mesolithic flints, found in the vicinity of Acharn farm, were donated to the NMAS in 1975-6 by I Thornber, Ardtornish, Morvern. They can not be closely dated within the mesolithic period (RCAHMS 1980). RCAHMS locates the find area at NM 6975 5048.
I Thornber 1974; Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1978; RCAHMS 1980.

The lithic assemblage collected by Mr Thornber was derived from two localities at Acharn within 30 m of one another, in an extensively ploughed field. The material from site A consists of 42 worked pieces, 47 blades, 457 flakes and 86 cores and bashed lumps. Flint constitutes 96.68% of the raw materials and other stones represented are quartz, mud-stone, quartzite, chert, bloodstone and granite. Of the 42 worked pieces, six are microliths, two are micro-burins ten are scrapers and one is a possible borer.
From site B, 227 pieces were collected, consisting of 10 worked pieces, 18 blades, 190 flakes and 9 cores and bashed lumps. Flint constitutes 97.35% of the raw materials; other stones found are quartzite, quartz, mud-stone and pitchstone. Patina and workmanship is similar to that of the assemblage from site A. The 10 worked pieces consist of one microlith, four scrapers, and five pieces with miscellaneous retouch. The presence of microliths and microburins would appear to point to a mesolithic complex. However, taking into account the fairly rich evidence for later prehistoric activities in this area, a post-mesolithic element might well be expected.
J N G Ritchie and I Thornber 1977.