Abstract
We describe a tanged point and a blade technology from Rubha Port an t-Seilich, Isle of Islay, Scotland that provides further support to a Late Pleistocene or Early Holocene presence in Scotland prior to the establishment of the narrow blade Mesolithic industry. The existing evidence for a Late Pleistocene or early Holocene presence comes from isolated finds of tanged points (Tiree, Shieldig, Brodgar), undated assemblages from disturbed contexts that are most likely Late Pleistocene in date (Howburn, Kilmefort Cave), and undated assemblages containing broad blade microliths (e.g., Glenbatrick, Morton). This article provides a summary of recent excavations and the stratigraphy at Rubha Port an t-Seilich, and a detailed analysis the lithic blade blank production at the site, which is, we believe, the first application of a chaîne opératoire based approach to a Scottish assemblage. The study includes comparisons with contemporary assemblages from north-western Europe. The significance of the Rubha Port an t-Seilich finds is threefold: (1) the relative large size of the assemblage that allows a technological analysis; (2) the finds partially derive from a stratified context below a narrow blade assemblage, associated with radiocarbon dates 9301-7750 cal. BP; and (3) further excavation can increase the sample size and potentially expose an in situ Late Pleistocene or early Holocene cultural horizon.
Highlights
Rubha Port an t-Seilich ( RPAS) is located on the east coast of the Isle of Islay, western Scotland (NR 43035 67449; 55°49′53.92′′N, 006°06′18.30′′W) (Figure 1)
That coming from the upper most horizon, principally Contexts 101 and 110 on Figure 2, had attributes consistent with the Scottish Mesolithic, referred to as the narrow blade industry and equivalent to the later Mesolithic in England (Saville 2004)
The potential discovery of activity at RPAS prior to the establishment of the narrow blade industry of the Scottish Mesolithic is of considerable significance
Summary
Rubha Port an t-Seilich ( RPAS) is located on the east coast of the Isle of Islay, western Scotland (NR 43035 67449; 55°49′53.92′′N, 006°06′18.30′′W) (Figure 1). That coming from the upper most horizon, principally Contexts 101 and 110 on Figure 2, had attributes consistent with the Scottish Mesolithic, referred to as the narrow blade industry and equivalent to the later Mesolithic in England (Saville 2004) This was associated with radiocarbon dates between 9310-7750 cal. The potential discovery of activity at RPAS prior to the establishment of the narrow blade industry of the Scottish Mesolithic is of considerable significance Current evidence for such activity within Scotland is persuasive but limited in value because of the absence of absolute dating and contextual information: the assemblage from Howburn, South Lanarkshire, is attributed to the Hamburgian c. We provide an analysis of the chipped flint assemblage, comparing it with that recovered from Context 111 in 2013
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