Documentary archive from excavations at Carpow Bank, Perth and Kinross
551 359/104
Description Documentary archive from excavations at Carpow Bank, Perth and Kinross
Date 7/2006 to 8/2006
Collection General Collection
Catalogue Number 551 359/104
Category All Other
Scope and Content A prehistoric logboat (NO21NW 161) was excavated and recovered from Carpow Bank at the head of the Tay Estuary. Previous DES reports (2001, p. 74; 2002, p. 90; 2003, p.104) describe the discovery of the logboat and the evaluation excavation of the buried stern. The excellent preservation of the logboat, its late Bronze Age date and its position in a high energy inter-tidal environment prompted the excavation and lift. Excavation of the sand and gravel surrounding and filling the vessel gradually revealed the full length of the craft to be 9.25m. The width of logboat is roughly 1.2m at the stern and 0.7m at the bow. The stern lay almost 1m below the ground surface and excavation required constant water removal during the 3-4 hour tidal windows. Once excavated, the logboat was rigged to float using air-filled barrels secured to the vessel with protective padding and straps. As the incoming tide rose the logboat was floated and moved to the soft mud on the riverside over night. The following day, the logboat was towed 1.5km to Newburgh quay, where it was inserted within a custom-built frame and lifted from the river onto a lorry. The logboat was then transported to the National Museums of Scotland in Edinburgh, where it is undergoing a programme of conservation. Study of the logboat has revealed tool markings related to its construction and use. Organic deposits also survive, for example, moss caulking used to secure the transom and resins used in repairs of cracks. An environmental study was also carried out and will involve the radiocarbon dating of inter-tidal peats and submerged tree stumps of the Carpow Bank and analysis of samples found within the vessel which included rodent-gnawed hazelnuts.
Accession Number 2017/1
External Reference CPW
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/1590579
