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Two locations on the Isle of Skye have recently revealed evidence for occupation during the Late Upper Palaeolithic (LUP). Now new research (published in the Journal of Quaternary Science: https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.3718) into the environment at this time shows that these Palaeolithic populations would have been living in extreme conditions during a time of rapidly shrinking glacial ice. To have survived – and potentially thrived – in these conditions attests to the adaptiveness of these peoples.
An area of North Skye has been monitored for years due to the presence of a late Mesolithic lithic scatter there. In 2017, however, a new scatter of LUP lithics was discovered. For the next six years, many lithics were found at the site believed to be characteristic of the Ahrensburg culture, which predominately thrived in northern Europe during the Younger Dryas period (c.12,900-11,700 BP).
Providing further evidence of occupation of Skye during this period are at least 20 stone circular alignments along a tidal flat on the southern shore of Loch Sligachan, near Sconser. Measuring 3-5m (10-16ft) in diameter, they are present in the extreme lower intertidal zone and only visible for around three hours per year, at the equinox king tides (below). They are, therefore, hard to analyse. Between 2019 and 2022, however, a number of surveys were undertaken at the site, including rapid shovel-pitting of two of the circles, which found that they were made of boulders, with many embedded to a substantial depth.
Drone and elevation surveys of the site were also conducted. These showed that the circles are located on a gently sloping intertidal zone and are 1.83-4.14m (6-13.6ft) below modern mean sea level. Comparing these results with the probable sea level during various periods across the LUP suggests that these circles would only have been fully above the shoreline c.11,000 BP.
The presence of people on Skye during the LUP poses some interesting questions: mainly, how did they reach the island, and how did they survive once there? Ahrensburg culture is believed to have started in northern Germany and Belgium. From there, populations may have moved across Doggerland and into northern England, and then on into Scotland. Once there, the low-lying landscapes of the east coast would have been familiar to those populations coming from the Great European Plain (and, indeed, most of the LUP sites in Scotland have so far been found on the north-east coast).
For much of the Younger Dryas period, however, when Ahrensburg culture is believed to have thrived, the north-western coast of Scotland would have been incredibly difficult to traverse, with a large area of glacial ice cutting across most of the Highlands. Migration on to the west coast of Scotland, then, could only have occurred either before or well after the Younger Dryas, unless these populations somehow circumnavigated the ice sheets. This would have required maritime travel, but since Ahrensburgian tools have been found on Tiree and Islay, also in the Inner Hebrides, as well as on Stronsay in Orkney, it seems that they were indeed able to navigate waterways. Perhaps more likely though – particularly in light of the estimated construction dates of the stone circular alignments – is that these people represent a late survival of the Ahrensburgian, reaching Skye as the glaciers melted, when it would have been more easily accessible.
However they made it to Skye, during their trip through western Scotland and into Skye they would have encountered melting glaciers and floods, as well as a vastly different topography from the low-lying environments that they were used to in northern Europe. It appears, though, that they were still able to confidently utilise the landscape. Based on the number of stone circular alignments present at Sconser, they were either a well-sized population or occupied the site for a long time.
Text: Rebecca Preedy/ Photo: Jamie Booth
