AI generated illustration of Oronsay middens during the Mesolithic period
6,600 BCE - 6,400 BCE

Oronsay middens

Oronsay, situated in the Inner Hebrides, harbors significant Mesolithic sites, dating approximately between 6,600 BCE and 6,400 BCE, revealing pivotal details about early human lifestyles and diets. The sites are renowned for the extensive shell middens-ancient waste dumps-which disclose a wealth of information on the dietary habits of Mesolithic people, highlighting their reliance on marine resources.

Artifacts, tools, and faunal remains excavated from Oronsay provide profound insights into the subsistence strategies, environmental adaptations, and societal structures of the early inhabitants, thereby contributing immensely to the understanding of human progression in the Mesolithic period in Scotland.

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