The Recessed Platforms of Argyll, Bute and Inverness (British Archaeological Reports (BAR) British S.)

Throughout the west of Scotland, recessed platforms have been discovered and recorded and 105 groups are known. Twenty years ago they were thought to have been used for making Charcoal for 19th-century iron furnaces. This new research argues that they were the foundations for wooden structures which were later reused, though their date remains unknown. Front Cover Copyright Contents LIST OF PLATES The Recessed Platforms of the West of Scotland — (A Summary) SECTION 1: SURVEY PROCEDURE, DESCRIPTIONS, AND LISTS SURVEY PROCEDURE GROUPS OF PLATFORMS IN COWAL AND BUTE (Area a.) DUNLOSKIN, ARDNADAM: Group 1 ARDENTRAIVE, COLINTRAIVE Kyles of Bute: Group 2 ARDTARAIG, LOCH STRIVEN: Group 3 BARMORE WOOD, BUTE: Group 4 BARNACARRY, STRATHLACHLAN: Group 5 CREGGANS, LETITR A’CHUILINN, STRACHUR: Group 6 CRAIGNAFEOCH, MILLHOUSE, KILFINNAN: Group 7 FEORLINE, LOCH RIDDEN: Group 8 GLENBRANTER: Group 10 GLENDARUEL: Group 11 KILMUN HILL: Group 12 LEPHINCHAPEL N, S and GORTIAN: Groups 13 and 14 LOCHHEAD, LOCH RIDDON: Group 15 ARDCHUPLE: Group 16 GROUPS OF PLATFORMS IN ARGYLL (outwith Cowal) (Area b.) DIPPEN, CARRADALE: Group 28 CARRADALE, NORTH SHORE: Group 29 CLAONAIG, Allt a’Bhuic, KINTYRE: Group 30 ALTAGALVASH, SKIPNESS: Group 31 ALLT BEITHE, SKIPNESS: Group 32 GOLF COURSE, TARBERT: Group 33 DUNMORE, W LOCH TARBERT: Group 34 ERINES HOUSE, Talbert: Group 35 ARTILIGAN, S of Inverneil: Group 36 COVE, Loch Caolisport: Group Number 37 BALLYAURGAN, Loch Caolisport: Group 38 BRENFIELD, Ardrishaig: Group 39 TAYNISH, TAYVALLICHARCOAL, LOCH SWEEN: Group 40 DIUNLIATH, Loch Fyne: Group 41 SONACHAN, LOCH AWE: Group 43 ARDENSTUR, KILMELFORD: Group 44 KNIPOCH, LOCH FEOCHAN: Group 45 DALAVICH, LOCH AWE: Group 88 CLAIS DHEARG, CONNEL: Group 46 EAS NAM MEIRLEACH,TAYNUILT: Group 47 AUCHENLOCHAN, TAYNUILT: Group 48 MUCKAIRN, TAYNUILT: Group 49 BRIDGE of AWE, TAYNUILT: Group 50 INVERAWE, NE side of River AWE: Group 51 ARD MADDY, E side of Loch Etive: Group 52 AIRD TRILLEACHAN, W side of Loch Etive: Group 53 GUALACHULAIN, Loch Etive Head: Group 54 BLARCREEN, BONAWE: Group 55 COIRE CIRCE, S side of Loch Creran: Group 56 ALLT BEALLACH na h—INNSIG, Glen Ure: Group 57 BARNAMUC, Glen Creran: Group 58 GROUPS OF PLATFOR MS IN NORTH ARGYLL AND INVERNESS (Area c.) KINLOCHLEVEN, LOCH LEVEN: Group 60 GRASSPOINT, MULL: Group 62 LOCH BA, MULL: Group 63 GLEN NEVIS Centred on N 160 690 RESIPOLE, LOCH SUNART (N side): Group 65 CAMUS BHLATHAIN and ALLT COIRE and TSUIDHE LOCH SHELL: Group 66 GARBH ALLT, LOCH SHEIL: Group 67 ARDERY, ARDNAMURCHAN: Group 68 GLEANN AN DUBHH CHOIREIN: Group 73 RUBHA NAN SGRIOB, SCAMADALE, LOCHSHELL: Group 74 GUESACHAN, NORTH LOCH SHELL: Group75 ROSHVEN PLANTATION, LOCH AILORT: Group 76 SALEN OAK WOOD, LOCH SUNART: Group 77 ALLT FEADAN MHIC BHEATHAIN, LOCH SHEIL: Group 78 Groups 79, 80, 81, 82, 84 GLEANN SUILEAG, FASSFERN LOCH EIL: Group 85 CLUNES, LOCH LOCHY: Group 86 ARIENAS WOODS, MORVEN: Group 87 DOIRE DON WOOD, LOCH LINNHE: Group 89 WOODEND, LOCH SUNART: Group 90 BARR, MORVEN: Group 91 LOCH AILORT: Group 92 APPENDIX SECTION 2: THE EXCAVATION OF TEN RECESSED PLATFORMS Introduction Index of Figures DUNLOSKIN/ARDNADAM: PLATFORM 9 DUNLOSKIN / ARDNADAM: Platform 24 DUNLOSIGN / ARDNADAM: Platform 28 GUALACHULAIN, LOCH ETIVE HEAD: Platform 9 BARMORE WOOD, BUTE: Platform 2 ARDENTRAIVE, COLINTRAIVE: Platform 28 DIPPEN, CARRADALE: Platform 12 LEN-LIN-CHAPEL (S), LOCH FYNE: Platform 45 TAYNISH, TAYVALLICH, LOCH SWEEN: Platform 4 TAYNISH, TAYVALLICH, LOCH SWEEN: Platform 16 DISCUSSION OF THE RELATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TEN PLATFORMS EXCAVATED AND SOME CONCLUSIONS WHICH CAN BE DEDUCED EXCAVATIONS OF OTHER PLATFORMS SECTION 3: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Introduction Description of Platforms Reasons for challenging the accepted interpretation (1) The Practices and Traditions of the Professional Charcoal Burners (2) The methods used in Scotland in 18th and 19th centuries (3) The negative evidence given by J M Lindsay (4) The evidence recorded from survey and field work (5) The evidence obtained from excavation Excavations of other Platforms Dating CONCLUSIONS DEDUCED FROM THE RESEARCH Settlements of Pasturalists Dating of the hillside settlements The concentration and position of Platform Groups Association with Early Christian sites The change from round to rectangular construction BIBLIOGRAPHY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PLATES