Monument record 1736 - CLADH HALLAN, DALIBURGH, SOUTH UIST

NF72SW 15 729 221.

Situated 200m inland from the present beach, the site is a grassed-over dune approximately 4m high, cut in half by sand extraction. It was discovered in June 1988 during the SEARCH dune and machair survey. At that time two midden layers could be seen in the upper part of the dune face. The lower midden had large quantities of animal bone, shell and potsherds eroding out, as well as a few pieces of black pumice and a possible hearth. Since then further sand extraction and natural erosion has cut back the central part of the dune. This has destroyed the 'hearth' and uncovered a third lower midden layer.
The excavation showed that the dune comprised a series of fairly straightforward sand layers containing three midden layers.
1st Midden contained charcoal flecks, fragmented bone, a possible quernstone but no pottery. The layers above and below held bone, small coarse potsherds and 12 small quartz pieces.
2nd Midden contained larger quantities of bone fragments, a few quartz and flint fragments and small coarse potsherds in a concentrated patch. It also produced a layer of medium-sized flat stones and a whale vertebra.
3rd Midden contained bone fragments, quartz pieces and patches of burnt clay, but no pottery.
Analyses of pottery, lithics, bone and shell are awaited in order to throw more light on the activities represented at this site, as are the environmental reports which should produce a history of the dune itself and help ascertain its relationship to the present shore.
Sponsors: SDD HBM.
E Moth 1989.

E Moth, 1989, Discovery and Excavation, Scotland, 70 (Bibliographic reference). SWE10418.