Kenavara

Two Headlands: The archaeology of Ben Hynish and Kenavara, Isle of Tiree

Two Headlands reports on the first major archaeological programme on Tiree for 60 years.

The core of this eight-year project has been the methodical recording of the landscape archaeology of two headlands on Tiree, Ben Hynish and Kenavara. The work has been carried out by members of ACFA – Field Archaeology for All/Arc-eòlas do na h-uile with the support of a number of professional archaeologists. Although the Royal Commission surveyed the area in the 1970s, over 800 archaeological features were recorded for the first time. The most interesting are presented here. These features range from late prehistoric cairns to five Iron Age duns and forts; an Early Christian eremitic monastery; medieval houses; huts and shieling settlements; kelp processing sites; an aqueduct built by Alan Stevenson in 1843; and sheepfolds dating from the second half of the nineteenth century.

Using a novel methodology, a detailed survey of the field dykes covering Ben Hynish has also revealed several overlapping field systems. A network of orthostatic dykes covers the 330-hectare site. It is suggested that these may be late prehistoric. The survey has also revealed Tiree’s only surviving medieval hill farm, and a soil survey has shown that its closed fields contain deep plaggen-type soils.

Almost 5000 worked lithics were recovered. Analysis shows that these date from the Late Mesolithic to the Bronze Age. The recovery of a possible Late Upper Palaeolithic crested blade supports earlier evidence that some of the first people to settle Scotland after the last Ice Age visited Tiree. A number of coarse stone tools were also found, including the island’s first documented Skaill knife. The discovery of a number of trough querns shows that the Bronze Age people who lived on Ben Hynish grew cereals. The ceramics found in the survey areas included some diagnostic Iron Age material. A limited excavation of the midden of one of the duns has recovered material dated securely to the Iron Age and a possible pottery gaming piece.

The book also includes the first full account of the island’s prehistory, a detailed history of the two headlands and their surrounding settlements, and an analysis of the place-names and oral traditions of Ben Hynish.

The work is a testament to the skill and dedication of a team of largely non-professional archaeologists and represents an important contribution to our understanding of the archaeology of the region. Lavishly illustrated with 482 illustrations, some using a drone, this is a book for anyone interested in the archaeology of Tiree and of the Hebrides more generally.

With contributions from Ann Clarke (lithics), Ann MacSween (pottery), Darko Maričević (archaeological overview), Bob Chambers (farm to township history), Diana Zilioli (soil analysis), Heather James (excavation), Ailsa and Ed Smith (field dykes).

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