Investigating the Mesolithic landscape of Orkney’s first settlers

This study used pollen analysis to explore the Mesolithic landscape of South Ronaldsay, Orkney, using two coring locations – Loch of Lythe and Loch of Trena. The project aimed to investigate changes in, and possible first settler interaction with, those environments across the time period of 6500-7600 cal BC. This period relates to previous Orcadian palaeoecological studies that have potentially signalled impact on the landscape by Mesolithic communities. Furthermore, archaeological evidence including lithic scatters, pits, postholes, and charred hazelnut fragments dated to c. 7000 cal BC, indicate Mesolithic peoples were present at this time in other parts of the Orkney archipelago. A number of pollen studies have been conducted across Orkney, but to date only two are from sites in South Ronaldsay. This study complements these analyses with preliminary results from the two loch sediment cores, by providing early prehistoric sequences.