These flints are almost certainly of Mesolithic age, that is, made by the hunter-gatherer groups who populated Scotland before the arrival of the first farmers in the 4th millennium BC. Microlithic (small stone) tools like this were used all over northern and western Europe at this time.
Measuring 27-55 millimetres in length, the six scrapers have been given a sharp, curved edge by pressure-flaking and were probably used to dress hides. The slim boring tool also has pressure-flaking along the long edges. The flint core has had several parallel-sided flakes, known as ‘blades’, struck off the flat area.
The flints were found in a sand-hill site at Balephuill in the early 1940s by George Holleyman, later a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, who was posted to RAF Tiree during World War II.
Wooden carding comb with metal prongs set in leather. Part of a pair that would have been used to tease out the fibres of sheep’s wool to prepare it for spinning into thread.
Serving mallet carved from a single piece of whalebone and used, most probably by sailors, to splice rope. Found by George Holleyman in a ruined cottage in Caoles in 1942.
Black & white photograph of Archie MacArthur, Barrapol (1923-1993) in around 1970. Archie ‘BEA’ was Tiree Airport Superintendent during 1961-1988.
Courtesy of Mrs Ishbel MacArthur
A former policeman with the Stirling and Clackmananshire Police Force, Archie MacArthur of Barrapol started work at Tiree airport in 1960 on the retirement of Colin MacPhail. Universally known as Archie BEA, he was a larger than life figure.
He welcomed everybody when the plane arrived, a different greeting to each person, and would remember the names of visitors. One day when he was sporting a new BEA tie he was asked what the letters stood for. ‘It’s Big Èairdsidh’s Airways,’ he replied, referring to the Gaelic spelling of his name.
Archie retired in 1988, a well-known figure to all those who passed through Tiree’s airport. When he died in 1993, his funeral was one of the largest in living memory.
Black and white photograph of an unknown man with cows from a small album from Silversands.
`Am Buachaille` (the cow-herd or shepherd) from a small album from Silversands, Vaul, titled `Idle Days` probably dating from the 1920s or early 1930s.
Photograph of boats at Port an Tobair in Balemartine in 1946.
Courtesy of Mr Lachie MacArthur
Lug sail boats at Port an Tobair, Balemartine in 1946. Boats pictured left to right: ‘An Gadoch’, ‘Taeping’, ‘Ariel’, ‘Heatherbell’, ‘Girl Pat’, ‘Try Again’.
Black and white photograph of Port an Tobair, Balemartine in 1946.
Port an Tobair, Balemartine in 1946. Boats (L-R): `An Gaodach` (Lachie Dhomhnaill`s), `Taeping`, `Ariel`, `Heatherbell`, `Girl Pat` (Lachie MacArthur`s father`s), `The Try Again`.
