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Portkil Cave [1]

Portkil, E of Kilcreggan, Argyllshire.

Small cave or rock shelter in raised beach, SW of Portkil Battery.

Alternative Names: None recorded.

Notes: Excavation in a sea cliff cave at Portkil near Kilcreggan has produced evidence of the Bronze Age in the form of charcoal enriched floor deposits, which include two fragments of a napkin ring and a string decorated

sherd of possible 'bucket urn' type pottery. Burnt and unburnt bone and wood fragments are preserved in the same deposit. The layers above the Bronze Age level are presently not understood in terms of chronology but the uppermost deposit was laid down in the 19th century and produced crockery, a pipe bowl and trade tokens of that period. [DES, 2014]

Excavation in Portkil Cave Number 1 (DES 2014, 53) was completed with further discoveries including AOC beaker sherds and a piece of facetted haematite which was used as a colouring agent in the Bronze Age. Three radiocarbon dates from charcoal were obtained from the deposits and these are as follows:

Basal Bronze Age (birch): c2279-2251 cal BC (95.4%) (SUERC-64965)

Event pre-dating rock fall (hazel): c255-301 cal AD (95.4%) (SUERC-64315)

Event post-dating rock fall (hazel): c575-672 cal AD (95.4%) (SUERC-64319)

Further work in the vicinity is intended. [DES, 2016]

Hydrographic Feeds: None

Hydrographic Resurgences: None