Neolithic Stepping Stones: Excavation and Survey Within the Western Seaways of Britain, 2008-2014

The ‘western seaways’ are an arc of sea extending from the Channel Islands in the south, through the Isles of Scilly around to Orkney in the north. This maritime zone has long been seen as a crucial corridor of interaction during later prehistory. Connections across it potentially led, for example, to the eventual arrival of the Neolithic in Britain, almost 1000 years after it arrived on the near continent.
This book’s primary focus is Early Neolithic settlement on islands within the ‘western seaways’ – sites that offer significant insight into the character of the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition in this particular maritime zone. It also explores a series of directly related, wider themes: the nature and effects of ‘island-ness’ in later prehistory; the visibility of material connections across the sea; the extent of Neolithic settlement variability across Britain; and the consequences of geographical biases in research for our understanding of the prehistoric past. At the heart of the book lie the results of three substantial excavations at L’Erée, Guernsey; Old Quay, St Martin’s (Isles of Scilly); and An Doirlinn, South Uist.
Key findings include: the first major Mesolithic flint assemblage recovered from Scilly; one of the most extensively excavated and long-lasting Neolithic/Bronze Age occupation sites in the Channel Islands; the first substantial Neolithic settlement on Scilly; and the longest sequence of Neolithic/Early Bronze Age occupation on a single site from the Outer Hebrides. In order to contextualize the significance of these findings, we also present an extended discussion and broad synthesis of Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age archaeology on each island group.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

Introduction to the Stepping Stones project

The Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in Britain and Ireland: recent debates

The 'western seaways': characterising palaeo-oceanographic seascapes

The changing paleogeography of Britain and Ireland, c. 8000-1000 BC

Early Neolithic settlement in Britain and Ireland

The Mesolithic/Neolithic/EBA of the Channel Islands, Isles of Scilly and Outer Hebrides

An introduction to the sites: L'Erée, Old Quay and An Doirlinn

Themes: island-ness, connectivity, settlement variability, different traditions of research

2. L'Eree, Guernsey

Introduction to the site at L'Eree

Survey and excavation strategy

Results: the archaeology

Pottery

Flint

Worked stone (polished stone ring + quern/rubber)

Soils/micromorph

Environmental

Radiocarbon dating

Discussion

3. Old Quay, St Martins, Isles of scilly

Introduction to the site at Old Quay

Previous work

Research objectives

Excavation strategy and methodology

Results: the archaeology

Pottery

Flint

Worked and utilised stone

Pumice

Soils/micromorph

Environmental evidence

Radiocarbon dating

Discussion

4. An Doirlinn, South Uist

Introduction to the site at An Doirlinn

Survey and excavation strategy

Results: the archaeology

Pottery

Flint

Worked stone

Pumice

Bone

Environmental

Radiocarbon dating

Survey of Orosay

Discussion

5. Discussion

Contrasting island Neolithics

The Stepping Stones project: discussion

Themes revisited: island-ness, connectivity, settlement variability, different traditions of research