Condition

1
Structure and midden
Iron Age
468
SMR 395
Shetland

Description

A quantity of artefacts of Iron Age type were found in a midden deposit at West Ayre. These included four bone weaving combs, pottery, bone implements as well as bone and shell. A comparison of the previous records would appear to indicate that this midden may have been associated with structures and that it has been eroding for almost a century. In 1980 further traces of midden deposits were found. The site was not located during this survey; this may have been due to the presence of dense vegetation along the shore edge. 22 May 2015: A 6m long rectangular building and midden deposit visible in the eroding coast edge in a section visible to a height of 0.8m above a storm beach. Two walls of the building and a possible paved stone floor are visible. The northern wall is constructed of a large edge set stone with three courses visible on the inner face. The building is approximately 6m long, and the interior is filled with midden and cobbles. One large stone forms the only visible remains of the southern wall. The midden contains fishbone and shell, one piece of pottery was noted. This midden deposit continues to the north beyond the building, where a layer of mussel shell is visible. Further round the bay to the north, deep cultivation soil is visible in the exposed section. This site is on the coast edge in a high energy environment, a steeply-sloping storm beach has formed below this eroding face. There are large erosion scars on the coast edge to the north of the bay, while dumped material to the south of the site forms an ad hoc coastal defence for a modern track. ShoreUPDATE 22/02/2018 Site still as described, though less midden deposit visible. Pottery recovered during Archaeology Shetland's section cleaning and recording project 2016 suggested a post-medieval date for the structure. Historic records indicate that this area was used as the drying beach for the nearby Stenness Fishing Station, suggesting that this may have been a shed / hut associated with this activity.

Location

427920.00
1177030.00
27700
60.4760246
-1.4939651

Submitted photographs

Image Date Caption User
Feb 2018 - detail of north wall 22/02/2018 Feb 2018 - detail of north wall joannahambly
Feb 2018 - detail of north wall
Feb 2018 - eroding building in section 22/02/2018 Feb 2018 - eroding building in section joannahambly
Feb 2018 - eroding building in section
Ad Hoc coastal defence on the south edge of the site 22/05/2015 Ad Hoc coastal defence on the south edge of the site training1
Ad Hoc coastal defence on the south edge of the site
View from coast edge behind site looking NW 22/05/2015 View from coast edge behind site looking NW training1
View from coast edge behind site looking NW
Closer view of south wall 22/05/2015 Closer view of south wall training1
Closer view of south wall
Closer view of north wall. Mussell shell layer to the left (outside). 22/05/2015 Closer view of north wall. Mussell shell layer to the left (outside). training1
Closer view of north wall. Mussell shell layer to the left (outside).
Eroding building, looking east 22/05/2015 Eroding building, looking east training1
Eroding building, looking east

Submitted updates

Update id Date User
3090 22/02/2018 joannahambly
Tidal state Low
Site located? Yes
Proximity to coast edge Coast edge
Coastally eroding? active sea erosion
Visibility in section Limited visibility in section
Description A quantity of artefacts of Iron Age type were found in a midden deposit at West Ayre. These included four bone weaving combs, pottery, bone implements as well as bone and shell. A comparison of the previous records would appear to indicate that this midden may have been associated with structures and that it has been eroding for almost a century. In 1980 further traces of midden deposits were found. The site was not located during this survey; this may have been due to the presence of dense vegetation along the shore edge. 22 May 2015: A 6m long rectangular building and midden deposit visible in the eroding coast edge in a section visible to a height of 0.8m above a storm beach. Two walls of the building and a possible paved stone floor are visible. The northern wall is constructed of a large edge set stone with three courses visible on the inner face. The building is approximately 6m long, and the interior is filled with midden and cobbles. One large stone forms the only visible remains of the southern wall. The midden contains fishbone and shell, one piece of pottery was noted. This midden deposit continues to the north beyond the building, where a layer of mussel shell is visible. Further round the bay to the north, deep cultivation soil is visible in the exposed section. This site is on the coast edge in a high energy environment, a steeply-sloping storm beach has formed below this eroding face. There are large erosion scars on the coast edge to the north of the bay, while dumped material to the south of the site forms an ad hoc coastal defence for a modern track. ShoreUPDATE 22/02/2018 Site still as described, though less midden deposit visible. Pottery recovered during Archaeology Shetland's section cleaning and recording project 2016 suggested a post-medieval date for the structure. Historic records indicate that this area was used as the drying beach for the nearby Stenness Fishing Station, suggesting that this may have been a shed / hut associated with this activity.
Retain Priority 1 until the identification and date of this structure is confirmed.

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