In simple terms, a shell midden is a rubbish heap the detritus of human activity that provides archaeologists with vital clues about how hunter-gatherers lived and, more importantly, when they arrived.
In 2002, archaeological excavations revealed a Late Mesolithic shell midden at the beach. West Voe beach (pictured above) on the southern tip of Shetland’s South Mainland is the best place to get a sense of Mesolithic Shetland. The first hunter-gatherers are believed to have arrived from the north of Scotland, crossing the Pentland Firth and the North Sea in small open boats boats formed by stretching animal skins over simple wooden frames. Shetland has been permanently inhabited since Neolithic times (4-6,000 years ago) although people have been using the islands’ since Mesolithic times. The best place to begin is at the Shetland Museum & Archives, where you can explore their fascinating archaeological displays and get an idea of what life looked like to Shetland’s early settlers. Start your historic tour by exploring and understanding Shetland’s full human story. Walls - Culswick, Westerwick and Easter Skeld.Mid Yell - North Yell (Gutcher, Cullivoe and Gloup).
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