Oran an Fheamnaidh -- Song of the Seaweed Gatherer: An Archaeology of Early 19th-Century Kelping

At the end of the 18th century, the capricious consequences of warfare on the continent turned seaweed on the West Coast and Isles of Scotland into an important industrial resource. The resource was kelp: a glassy substance used in the glass and soap industries. The industry would have profound effects on the people who lived and worked in these coastal communities. Using a case study from Loch Aoineart, South Uist, Dr Grant considers the kelp industry in the context of an early 19th century Hebridean community. He outlines the landscape archaeology of kelping as it was lived and experienced; drawing on archaeological, documentary, and historical evidence, Gaelic culture and oral tradition.