A. Sheridan

This talk covered the new information that has emerged about the early farming communities (4000-2500 BC) in this part of Scotland over the past 25 years. It emphasised the importance of Bill Cormack’s work in laying the foundations for what we know today

In 1992, during a routine reconnaissance of MOD land at West Freugh, a scatter of artefacts was observed eroding out of a former land surface within the dunes at Knocknab. Initially the assemblage was recorded in situ and surface artefacts were collected. However, when it became evident that archaeological layers were being exposed and then undermined by severe storms, limited excavation was also undertaken. Over the following three years, the area was periodically monitored and artefacts collected where present. The great majority of the assemblage comprised lithics and ceramics located on the old ground surface and within pits. A radiocarbon date of 3940–3700 cal BC, obtained from Sorbus charcoal from a pit in Area 1, established an early Neolithic context for the material. The aim of this report is to bring the results of this investigation into the public arena, with particular emphasis on an analysis of the lithic and ceramic assemblages. It is not intended to provide a more wide-ranging synthesis of the material from Luce Sands but it is hoped that the information within this article could be incorporated into such a synthesis in the future.