Major archaeological study in Uig 27/810
Experts believe a major archaeological study in Uig will uncover the secrets of ancient life on the western shores of Scotland.
It is believed the coastal fringes of Uig could be hiding evidence of how past populations lived and died.
One part of the research is to investigate the practice of herding livestock to outlying pastures and the use of shielings as seasonal shelters on distant grazing lands.
A team from Durham University is excavating around Guinnerso on the Aird Uig peninsula. Bronze Age remains and well preserved medieval shielings have previously been found in the area.
Other sites include An Dunan, a unique Iron Age tidal islet with a burial cairn which was later used by the Vikings; Gob Eirer which has a Late Bronze Age promontory fort; and a medieval blackhouse village at Beriero, above Tràigh nan Srùban.
The work is nationally important as such sites are rarely excavated in detail and an academic book will be published of the Uig findings.
This volume will create a better understanding of how people lived and died in Uig in the prehistoric past, people’s changing use of the land, and to consider how the sites fit into the rich archaeological heritage of the Uig Landscape.
A site visit is open to the public at An Dunan and Bereiro at 2pm on Saturday. People should meet on site; park at the Uig Community Centre and walk or share cars to Crowlista if possible. Participants should wear walking shoes or wellies and waterproofs if conditions are inclement.
On Tuesday 31 August Comann Eachdraidh Uig is hosting an illustrated talk about the study at Uig Community Centre, starting at 7.30pm.