National Monuments Record of Scotland John Sinclair House, 16 Bernard Terrace, Edinburgh, EH8 9NX Tel: 0131-662-1456 Fax: 0131-662-1477/1499 E-mail rcahms.jsh@gtnet.gov.uk

MACARTHUR CAVE, OBAN McARTHUR CAVE

Location

Archaeology Notes

NM 8592 3043 The MacArthur Cave has come to be regarded as the

type-site of the Obanian culture. It was discovered towards the end of 1894 by quarrymen and was excavated by Anderson in 1895. Removal of the talus and fallen rocks which encumbered the entrance revealed a possibly artificial, barrier of rocks, behind which the infilling reached almost to the roof. The great majority of the implements recovered were of bone, 140 of these being found. Of the stone implements recovered, only eight of flint were definable. Finds are now in the NMAS (Acc No : HL 1-389).

During the excavation parts of the skeletons of at least four individuals were discovered. The burials, however, cannot be associated with the mesolithic material from the cave, as they were found on top of and within the thick layer of debris that sealed these deposits. Their date is not known.

A D Lacaille 1954; RCAHMS 1975; J Anderson 1895; W Turner 1895.

No traces of the cave exist.

Visited by OS (W D J) 3 December 1964.

Biserial antler barbed point (NMS HL 187) dated by radiocarbon to 4750+/- (OxA-1949), 4910-4590 cal BC.

NMRS MS/735/1.

Collection Summary

Bibliography