An area of dark brown/grey deposits were exposed in November 2014 following two storms in October. First identified on 7-11-14 was a small oval shape containing bones and white quartz fragments, which seemed to be the remains of a basket and contents.
Summary below from Dr Kate MacDonald:
The basket is located at NF 77643 62514, estimated to be some 20-30 m below (viz west of) high water mark. It is lying within an extensive deposit of dark brown, humic, fine silty sand, exposed where the overlying shingle and gravel has been removed by wave action. The deposit is exposed for at least 24 m along the beach, from NF 77649 61507 in the south, to NF 77636 61529 in the north. The northern and western edges of are being actively eroded, while the deposit is visible in patches through the overlying fine shingle to the south and east. The dark brown deposit was up to 15 cm thick, and overlies sand.
The basket had suffered some erosion since it was identified on Friday (7th), particularly to the seaward side, where some fibres had been freshly exposed. Several pieces of worked quartz were visible, possibly lying within a smaller bag or basket. Any that were not firmly embedded were collected. A sample of the basket was removed from the area that had been damaged over night, approximately 10 cm x 5 cm x 5 cm, and embedded within the dark brown deposit.
A number of features were identified in the surface of the deposit, including several circular features, approximately 0.8 m across, at least one of which may be a pit. There were also a number of linear features, forming grooves in the surface of the deposit, up to 1 m in length, some of which are likely to be anthropogenic. Two of these linear features were parallel, approximately 1 m apart, each with a circular feature at the eastern end (Photo 5). They have been truncated by erosion to the west, and may form part of a structure, located some 2 m to the south of the basket.
There was no evidence of any masonry features within the deposit. Several pieces of wood were visible on the surface, along with several fragments of unworked animal bone. These were collected, where not firmly embedded within the deposit.
There was no evidence of pottery, shell, or charcoal in the deposit. However, there were patches of what appear to be well-preserved plant fibres within the deposit.
A sample of the deposit was collected from pieces that had been broken off by wave action.
Interpretation: The lack of pottery, shell, and charcoal indicates that the dark brown deposit is not a typical prehistoric midden. It is possible that it formed in a lacustrine environment, possibly a shallow lagoon. If this is the case, the surviving features might represent the remains of activity around the marshy edges of the lagoon.
The basket was excavated and lifted on 13/11/2014
Location
77641.00
861514.00
27700
57.5285149
-7.3879108
Submitted photographs
Image
Date
Caption
User
16/11/2014
Basket detail
DavidNewman
16/11/2014
Basket detail
DavidNewman
16/11/2014
Basket
DavidNewman
16/11/2014
Basket
DavidNewman
08/11/2014
Aerial plan view of main site
DavidNewman
08/11/2014
3D view of possible secondary site
DavidNewman
08/11/2014
3D view of possible pit with remains
DavidNewman
08/11/2014
General View
DavidNewman
Submitted updates
Update id
Date
User
1850
08/11/2014
DavidNewman
Tidal state
Low
Site located?
Yes
Proximity to coast edge
Intertidal
Coastally eroding?
active sea erosion
Visibility above ground
Limited visibility (partial remains)
Visibility in section
Not visible
Access
accessible on foot (no footpath)
Local knowledge
is not locally known
Description
An area of dark brown/grey deposits were exposed in November 2014 following two storms in October. First identified on 7-11-14 was a small oval shape containing bones and white quartz fragments, which seemed to be the remains of a basket and contents.
Summary below from Dr Kate MacDonald:
The basket is located at NF 77643 62514, estimated to be some 20-30 m below (viz west of) high water mark. It is lying within an extensive deposit of dark brown, humic, fine silty sand, exposed where the overlying shingle and gravel has been removed by wave action. The deposit is exposed for at least 24 m along the beach, from NF 77649 61507 in the south, to NF 77636 61529 in the north. The northern and western edges of are being actively eroded, while the deposit is visible in patches through the overlying fine shingle to the south and east. The dark brown deposit was up to 15 cm thick, and overlies sand.
The basket had suffered some erosion since it was identified on Friday (7th), particularly to the seaward side, where some fibres had been freshly exposed. Several pieces of worked quartz were visible, possibly lying within a smaller bag or basket. Any that were not firmly embedded were collected. A sample of the basket was removed from the area that had been damaged over night, approximately 10 cm x 5 cm x 5 cm, and embedded within the dark brown deposit.
A number of features were identified in the surface of the deposit, including several circular features, approximately 0.8 m across, at least one of which may be a pit. There were also a number of linear features, forming grooves in the surface of the deposit, up to 1 m in length, some of which are likely to be anthropogenic. Two of these linear features were parallel, approximately 1 m apart, each with a circular feature at the eastern end (Photo 5). They have been truncated by erosion to the west, and may form part of a structure, located some 2 m to the south of the basket.
There was no evidence of any masonry features within the deposit. Several pieces of wood were visible on the surface, along with several fragments of unworked animal bone. These were collected, where not firmly embedded within the deposit.
There was no evidence of pottery, shell, or charcoal in the deposit. However, there were patches of what appear to be well-preserved plant fibres within the deposit.
A sample of the deposit was collected from pieces that had been broken off by wave action.
Interpretation: The lack of pottery, shell, and charcoal indicates that the dark brown deposit is not a typical prehistoric midden. It is possible that it formed in a lacustrine environment, possibly a shallow lagoon. If this is the case, the surviving features might represent the remains of activity around the marshy edges of the lagoon.
Dr Kate MacDonald:
Following its exposure, the deposit is suffering from rapid and ongoing erosion, sections being lifted off the underlying sand, probably with each high tide. The basket is located approximately 2 m from the seaward edge of the deposit, and is likely to be destroyed within a matter days, irrespective of weather conditions.
Comments
When viewed on OS Viewranger app this NGR location is at the HWM and only a few metres from the dune edge. The true extent of the erosion since the OS last surveyed the coastline here is fully revealed and amounts to around 30-40m.
