Site Report

WoSASPIN 2381
NR37NE 7 3976 7836.

NR 397 783. A cave, about 20 yards deep, lies in a reentrant in the cliff face, about 50ft above the sea. A heap of stony debris has accumulated in the opening. A trench was sunk into the level earth floor at the back of the cave and, at a depth of 1 1/2ft encountered thick midden deposits of shells with a few bones of sheep and deer. The midden continued below the bottom of the trench 3ft. Two pebbles, used as hammers, were found. A radiocarbon date of AD 1710+-110 (corrected to 1630) was obtained for a heap of shells near the top of the layer. A 17th or early 18th century date for the occupation seems likely.
E W MacKie 1974.

NR 3976 7836. The cave, as described by MacKie (1974), is 13.5m deep, 9.5m maximum width, and 2.5m high at the entrance. The deposit of shells comprising limpets and winkles is at the back of the cave.
Surveyed at 1:10,000.
Visited by OS (NKB) 29 June 1978.

Shovel pits (0.25 x 0.25m) were dug during the course of the Islay Caves Project 2001 fieldwork season. A preliminary shovel pit in a shell midden was extended into a test pit. The shell midden contained many fish and animal bones but no cultural material was recovered.
Sponsors: NMS, Prehistoric Society, Munro Fund, University of Edinburgh, Hunter Trust, Russell Trust
K Hardy 2002

NR 3977 7836

In 2003, this site was examined by EASE Archaeology as part of the Coastal Zone Assessment of the island of Islay. The condition of the site at that time was recorded as 'Good', while the site was described as follows:

IY68: Port a'Chotain - Cave- utilised
Description - A cave extends for some 12m in depth and is approximately 8m wide; to the rear is a narrower passage which extends back further but is now inaccessible. There are traces inside of recent activity, evidenced by fire pits and modern refuse. A test trench excavated previously (MacKie) found shell midden deposits and indicated that the cave had been utilised in the 17th and 18th C. MacKie (1974), 11.
Period - ???
Recommendation - Nil
Moore, H. & Wilson, G., EASE Archaeology, 'Report on a Coastal Zone Assessment Survey of Islay', (2003)