Excavation

Date 28 September 2018 - 1 October 2018

Event ID 1089186

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1089186

NJ 5035 2494 A four day evaluation was carried out,

28 September – 1 October 2018, to further elucidate the form,

character and chronology of Cairnmore Fort – dated to the 5th

to 6th century AD by Murray Cook in 2011.

Seven trenches were laid out. Trenches 1, 2 and 3 targeted

the inner rampart exposing the core of the rampart, a putative

wall face and a charcoal spread. Trench 4 was located

directly W of Trench 5 but did not reveal any archaeological

features. Trench 5 was located in the SE area of the site, over

the inner rampart and possible entrance. A 6m stretch of the

rampart was revealed showing that the rampart survived to

3m wide with a tumble of stone extending eastwards on the

downslope side. A shallow pit or ditch terminal was also

uncovered. Trench 6 was laid out over the outer rampart

revealing an extensive spread of stones extending inwards

from the rampart edge. The core of the rampart could not

be clearly identified and there was a lack of definitive wall

facing. A shallow pit or truncated posthole was identified

lying outside of the rampart wall. Slag and a possible gaming

piece were recovered from the rampart core. Trench 7 was

located in the interior of the fort and revealed the remains of

a structure including a stone-built hearth and stone post-pad

as well as an extensive spread of large stones. The hearth

contained a least one fill.

There was no clear evidence of edges to the structure.

Another spread of large stones was located in the SW

corner of the trench but it could not be established if it was

associated with these internal features or a different structure

beyond the excavated area. A large spread of small stones

exposed in various sondages was interpreted as a putative

occupational surface and may be key to establishing the

layout to the internal structure. A flint blade and a gaming

piece were recovered from Trench 7.

Radiocarbon dating will clarify the chronology of the

rampart and the internal structure.

Archive: University of Aberdeen

Funder: University of Aberdeen and Leverhulme Trust

Gordon Noble, Edouard Masson-MacLean and Jeff Oliver –

University of Aberdeen

(Source: DES, Volume 19)