Condition

2
Settlement and artefact scatters
Iron Age
9575
Orkney

Description

The landowner withheld permission to visit this site: the following account is based on previous reports. Copious surface finds of animal bone, worked stone tools, an upper rotary quern stone, iron and glassy slag, sherds of pottery dating to the early Iron Age and Later Iron Age, and a fragment of a double-sided composite hair comb indicate extensive settlement in the Links. Scattered finds, extensive horizons of organic midden deposits, broken-off orthostats and scant wall foundations have been noted over several acres. This is the result of past and present sand extraction. Four decorated antler mounts were discovered by tourists among midden material on the settlement site which is being quarried away by the landowner. The mounts are decorated with geometric motifs and ring and dot patterns which are best paralleled in late Roman and early Germanic objects from Britain and the Continent. Following a Treasure Trove enquiry, these objects have been disposed to Tankerness House Museum, Kirkwall. A stone 'egg' amulet was found in 1989 and is now also at the Museum in Kirkwall (acc.#1989.38.1), (Hunter, 1993). An inspection of aerial photographs shows increasing and widespread disturbance to the N end of the bay, presumably the result of sand extraction. While no damage is apparent on AP's from 1948, localised damage was visible on the 1975 survey. The latest APs (taken in 1987) show the damage to be widespread, and, by all accounts, sand extraction has continued apace up to the present time. 9 May 2015 Coast edge walked, nothing visible in exposed faces of dunes. The storm beach has been deliberately re-graded to form a defence of the low-lying areas along the dune front. The area of dunes behind the coast was not walked over, but sand extraction and use of the area for motorsports is ongoing.

Location

348500.00
997500.00
27700
58.8618050
-2.8945396

Submitted photographs

Image Date Caption User
North Links general view 09/05/2015 North Links general view training1
North Links general view
North Links general view 09/05/2015 North Links general view training1
North Links general view

Submitted updates

Update id Date User
2007 09/05/2015 training1
Site located? No
Description The landowner withheld permission to visit this site: the following account is based on previous reports. Copious surface finds of animal bone, worked stone tools, an upper rotary quern stone, iron and glassy slag, sherds of pottery dating to the early Iron Age and Later Iron Age, and a fragment of a double-sided composite hair comb indicate extensive settlement in the Links. Scattered finds, extensive horizons of organic midden deposits, broken-off orthostats and scant wall foundations have been noted over several acres. This is the result of past and present sand extraction. Four decorated antler mounts were discovered by tourists among midden material on the settlement site which is being quarried away by the landowner. The mounts are decorated with geometric motifs and ring and dot patterns which are best paralleled in late Roman and early Germanic objects from Britain and the Continent. Following a Treasure Trove enquiry, these objects have been disposed to Tankerness House Museum, Kirkwall. A stone 'egg' amulet was found in 1989 and is now also at the Museum in Kirkwall (acc.#1989.38.1), (Hunter, 1993). An inspection of aerial photographs shows increasing and widespread disturbance to the N end of the bay, presumably the result of sand extraction. While no damage is apparent on AP's from 1948, localised damage was visible on the 1975 survey. The latest APs (taken in 1987) show the damage to be widespread, and, by all accounts, sand extraction has continued apace up to the present time. 9 May 2015 Coast edge walked, nothing visible in exposed faces of dunes, storm beach has been deliberately re-graded to form a defence of the low-lying areas along the dune front. The area of dunes behind the coast was not walked over, but sand extraction and use of the area for motorsports is ongoing.
Reassign to category 2-3 on the basis of no archaeological deposits visible in the coast edge. Hinterland is being damaged as a result of current land use.
Comments Did not walk beyond farm.

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