Ruaig sandhills
Google Map
Object Type:
Summary
Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 1958, pp. 10-12.
From Mr and Mrs E R Cregeen
RUAIG SANDHILLS
NM065476. Abundant sherds of pottery were found in the sandhills at Ruaig during a visit in September. The collapse of the dunes had exposed a layer of shells at a depth of about 8 ft. Pottery was found at this level, and also lying exposed where it had been carried down by the collapsing dune. Most of the fragments were of a hard, gritty, well fired ware, red or reddish- brown outside, but usually grey or grey-black below the outer layer. One fragment was simply decorated with two rows of punctured dots. This pottery was 5 to 6 mm. thick. Other sherds were of similar but thicker ware, of more even colour throughout (a reddish-brown), and varying between 6 and 10 mm. and occasionally more. A third type of pottery was thick (about 10 mm.), coarse, and buff in colour, and scarcer than the other two kinds. Associated with the sherds were several metal objects :—a piece of a sickle blade or similar implement, the iron corroded and flaking off, measuring 15.4 cm. in length, 2.8 cm. at the broadest part and 35 mm. in thickness at the back; an oblong- plate of iron, 7.5 cm. by 3.5 cm. by 4 mm., composed of more than one layer of metal, and decorated with two circular studs, 1.8 cm. in diameter, fixed to the plate, and divided into segments; a convex square mount or button, made of iron, now much corroded, measuring 1.7 cm. across; two pieces of very thin metal, the larger 2.4 by 1.4 cm., which appear to have formed part of a blade.
Later finds from the same sandhills, made by Miss MacFarlane of Ruaig Schoolhouse, and Master I. Lamont, were of identical pottery. One sherd of thin reddish-brown ware exhibited a flattened rim and, below, a lightly incised pattern of vertical lines on either side of a horizontal line. Associated with the pottery were pieces of bone (mammal and bird), the tooth of a cow or horse, with a layer of calcareous matter near the root, a thumb scraper, 3 by 2 cm., with a broken end, and a flint 3 cm. long and 1.7 cm. wide, which had clearly been in use, though It had no secondary working. Both flints were of the same grey-white material.
From Mr and Mrs E R Cregeen
RUAIG SANDHILLS
NM065476. Abundant sherds of pottery were found in the sandhills at Ruaig during a visit in September. The collapse of the dunes had exposed a layer of shells at a depth of about 8 ft. Pottery was found at this level, and also lying exposed where it had been carried down by the collapsing dune. Most of the fragments were of a hard, gritty, well fired ware, red or reddish- brown outside, but usually grey or grey-black below the outer layer. One fragment was simply decorated with two rows of punctured dots. This pottery was 5 to 6 mm. thick. Other sherds were of similar but thicker ware, of more even colour throughout (a reddish-brown), and varying between 6 and 10 mm. and occasionally more. A third type of pottery was thick (about 10 mm.), coarse, and buff in colour, and scarcer than the other two kinds. Associated with the sherds were several metal objects :—a piece of a sickle blade or similar implement, the iron corroded and flaking off, measuring 15.4 cm. in length, 2.8 cm. at the broadest part and 35 mm. in thickness at the back; an oblong- plate of iron, 7.5 cm. by 3.5 cm. by 4 mm., composed of more than one layer of metal, and decorated with two circular studs, 1.8 cm. in diameter, fixed to the plate, and divided into segments; a convex square mount or button, made of iron, now much corroded, measuring 1.7 cm. across; two pieces of very thin metal, the larger 2.4 by 1.4 cm., which appear to have formed part of a blade.
Later finds from the same sandhills, made by Miss MacFarlane of Ruaig Schoolhouse, and Master I. Lamont, were of identical pottery. One sherd of thin reddish-brown ware exhibited a flattened rim and, below, a lightly incised pattern of vertical lines on either side of a horizontal line. Associated with the pottery were pieces of bone (mammal and bird), the tooth of a cow or horse, with a layer of calcareous matter near the root, a thumb scraper, 3 by 2 cm., with a broken end, and a flint 3 cm. long and 1.7 cm. wide, which had clearly been in use, though It had no secondary working. Both flints were of the same grey-white material.
Links (open in a new window)
Island :
Township :
Current Location :
Museum Number :
Period:
Material:
Year Collected:
Collector :
Related Objects