Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 103

NR 644873. A seasonal camping site was represented by a layer of occupation material on a terrace above Lussa River; excavation yielded insects, seeds, charcoal, red ochre, pumice, a human hair and 1500 flint and quartz artefacts. Chisels and microliths predominate amongst a tool assemblage which is seen as the last of three microlithic phases in N Jura; radiocarbon dates fall in third millennium bc. The relationship between sites on Jura and Oronsay is discussed and doubt is thrown on the cultural status of the "Obanian". AR See also author's note on new 14C dates from Jura, Antiquity, 48, 1974, 65-6.

NJ 482953. A hoard of about 60 bronzes was found in a cairn in 1843 and subsequently lost until 16 objects reappeared in 1971. Four socketed axes, six penannular armlets, a semi-tubular ring, two sets of triple-rings, a ring and two unique cast bronze cups are described and discussed in terms of their strong Covesea connections. A R

NM 824266. Illustrated catalogue and discussion of objects found during 19th-century excavations in a midden at Dùn an Fheurain and in a dun at Leccamore on Luing (NM 750107). The material from Dùn an Fheurain indicates occupation in the first two centuries AD (samian, ring-headed pin, spiral finger-ring) and in the mid and later first millennium AD (bone pins and comb, bone potter's stamp). A perforated antler plaque may belong to the wrest-plank of a lyre. A R

Firearms came late to Scotland, although first used there by the English in 1327. The earliest use by the Scots was of large cannon in siege warfare "Mons Meg" was used at Threave in 1455, and later the castle's outer curtain was rebuilt with handgun slits in the wall and gunholes in the corner "rounds". The typical oval-mouthed gunhole, with hourglass section, appears c 1540, usually one per wallface, although occasionally overlapping fields of fire were arranged at different levels (Damelzier, Littledean). A re-examination of Amisfield Tower shows that the basement is of early date, gunholes being contrived by widening the lighting slits to give the appearance of a good traverse (studied in other towers). By 1600 the basement gunhole was going out of favour, although the inconspicuous muskethole continued to be used in upper walling. D F R