Close

This site uses cookies. No personal data is stored. You can read how we use them in our cookies policy. Continuing on this site accepts their use. Thankyou.

Viewing swaag.org website implies consent to set cookies on your computer. Full details Swaledale and Arkengarthdale Archaeology Group
Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number 1155775
SWAAG Honorary President:
Tim Laurie F,S,A,

Another Search

Scroll down the record
 *****SWAAG_ID***** 115
 Date Entered 27/01/2011
 Updated on 27/01/2011
 Recorded by Tim Laurie
 Category Lithic Find / Scatter
 Record Type Archaeology
 Site Access Not known
 Record Date 01/01/2011
 Location Rigg, Calvert Houses.
 Civil Parish Muker
 Brit. National Grid Hidden
 Altitude 430m
 Geology Moraine Hillock over Middle Limestone
 Record Name Rigg, Calvert Houses. Neolithic Occupation Site. Found and recorded by Tim Laurie
 Record Description Concentration of lithic finds of Neolithic character at an Occupation Site located on a prominent morainic hillock which, at 430m AOD provides a splendid viewpoint down Swaledale. These artefacts, first published in 1985 (Laurie, T.C. 1985, BAR143, Upland Settlement, Page152, Figure 8.8, see attached) were revealed by erosion of thin peat in the deep ruts of a moor access track (now upgraded and re-surfaced as a drivable road for four wheel drive estate vehicles). The finds include numbers of very fine and large discoidal and horseshoe scrapers, borers, a scale flaked tanged knife and a small barbed and tanged arrowpoint all of unpatinated black translucent flint. The flint cortex where present on the scrapers and other artefacts was thick and chalky in appearance indicating that the flint nodules were quarried in contrast to the thin battered cortex of the beach pebble or drift flint used by Mesolithic groups on the Pennine Fringe. No cores were found indicating that this was a processing site and not a knapping site. These finds, which were accompanied by much waste flint and chert, were all concentrated within an area of 5m2, except for the barbed and tanged arrowhead (BTA) which was found 10m to the west of the concentration. The Early Mesolithic chert tranchet axe (MUK001) and the three Later Mesolithic Micro scalene triangles (MUK003) were also found at the centre of this concentration of Neolithic artefacts. These finds of very different age and technologies implies that this vantage point site was reoccupied by hunting groups over several millennia.
 Additional Notes All finds deposited in The Richmond Museum except the small barbed and tanged arrowhead (BTA)and some further finds in my possession. At my last visit to the Museum the display had been moved and the three micro scalene triangle could not be traced, presumably lost.
 Image 1 ID 189         Click image to enlarge
 Image 1 Description MUK002.1 Calvert Houses. Rigg. Selected finds. Laurie 1985 Figure 8.8
 Image 2 ID 190         Click image to enlarge
 Image 2 Description Calvert Houses. Rigg. Selected finds.
 Image 3 ID 191         Click image to enlarge
 Image 3 Description Calvert Houses. Rigg. Further selected finds.
 Image 4 ID 192         Click image to enlarge
 Image 4 Description Calvert Houses. Rigg. Selected finds. Details.
 Image 5 ID 193         Click image to enlarge
 Image 5 Description MUK002.00 The find site. Rutted track in 1986 before upgrading of road.
 
Another Search