Excavation

Date October 1993

Event ID 1003858

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1003858

NS 786 780 During October 1993, GUARD carried out archaeological excavations on part of this Roman temporary camp, in advance of private house building by Stewart Homes Ltd. Previous excavations had taken place on the site between 1989 and 1992.

The excavations investigated an 82m stretch of the southern perimeter ditch, incorporating an entrance area. The main aim of the excavations was to date the camp and to aid the interpretation of the site as either a marching or construction camp.

The excavation showed the camp to be of a single phase of construction. No evidence for the in situ survival of an internal rampart was found, although displaced turf blocks were present in the primary ditch fills. No evidence for a titulus at the entrance gap was found, although it may have lain outwith the investigated area.

No finds were recovered to aid the accurate dating of the site and no evidence was forthcoming to substantiate any accurate chronological relationship to either Castlecary Roman fort or the Antonine Wall. There was tentative evidence for the extended occupation of the site in the form of rampart repair, which would help support the theory that Garnhall was a construction camp. After abandonment of the camp, the ditches may have silted up through natural processes, although some evidence suggests a dumped backfill. There was evidence of re-use of the site after total silting of the ditches, in the form of an amorphous cobbled spread.

Sponsor: Stewart Homes Ltd.

K Speller 1994