Shore stories from islands’ beaches

Stornoway Gazette -

Fishermen, beachcombers, divers and local people in the Western Isles are being urged to report anything unusual they’ve spotted at the shoreline or under the sea to a new archaeological project, launched this week.

The project – a partnership between RCAHMS, WA Coastal & Marine, Historic Scotland and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (CNE-Siar)– is searching for the prehistoric and historic remains of the coastal and marine areas of the Outer Hebrides.

Rising sea levels and coastal erosion make the search for previously undiscovered archaeology in the Western Isles a priority, as there is always the real danger that it could be lost for good.

A key feature of the project is getting local people involved in sharing their knowledge of potential sites of archaeological remains and involving them in research work.

The team hopes to make some discoveries of previously unknown sites as a direct result of ‘tip-offs’ from the local community.

That’s why they’re inviting local people to a talk this week to find out more [Taigh Chearsabhagh Arts centre on North Uist at 7pm on 12 October] and holding regular sessions in a local venue to encourage people to come forward with their stories.

By working with local people the project aims to explore the rich coastal and maritime history of the Outer Hebrides which spans thousands of years

Evidence of the remains of ancient settlements, fish-traps , even tree stumps that may now lie submerged, and other finds and fragments from the inter-tidal zone, are all part of the puzzle that the project wants to hear about, in order to piece together stories of the past.

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