Post excavation analysis of organic residues and sediments from shell midden 2B at Tarradale, Muir of Ord, Ross-shire 

Project summary

This project will investigate a nationally significant late Mesolithic shell midden site at Tarradale in Ross-shire, Scotland, using specialist environmental and archaeological analysis to reveal new evidence for prehistoric settlement, landscape use and resource exploitation. Excavations have uncovered rare artefacts, including antler tools, worked bone and evidence of coastal subsistence activities, but further analysis of environmental remains is needed to understand how people lived within this landscape around 4000 BCE. The project will analyse marine resources, charcoal, plant remains, pollen and soil deposits to investigate food practices, fuel use, woodland management, site formation processes and changing environments. Advanced laboratory approaches will help reconstruct how the midden developed and how it related to wider patterns of human activity and environmental change.

The project will significantly enhance understanding of late Mesolithic communities in northern Scotland by expanding the evidence base for settlement, resource use and adaptation at the transition between the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods. The results will support future archaeological research and demonstrate the importance of community-led excavation combined with heritage science. By providing new insights into Scotland’s prehistoric landscapes and cultural heritage, the project has the potential to reshape interpretations of Mesolithic life locally, nationally and internationally.