Excavation
Date 15 August 2017 - 4 September 2017
Event ID 1038515
Category Recording
Type Excavation
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1038515
NJ 4845 2930 (NJ42NE 1) From 15 August – 3 September 2017, a 5 x 15m trench was excavated within the interior of the Tap o’ Noth fort summit enclosure. This was part of a larger programme of work looking at fortified sites in the region of the recent Craw Stane excavations to develop a wider landscape context for the Pictish power centre at Rhynie.
The trench was located to investigate the interior deposits, a section of U-shaped bank enclosing part of the interior and to better understand the depth of stone tumble and locate the inner face of the vitrified stone wall. The aim was to understand the nature and use of the interior of the fort and to obtain dating evidence for the major elements of the site. The excavation revealed that the U-shaped enclosure bank was composed of large stones and earth and likely later than the main vitrified wall as it overlay layers of collapsed stone. The inner face of the vitrified wall was located after the removal of substantial layers of stone tumble. The inner face was badly preserved and fully collapsed in several places but
survived to a height of c2m above the bedrock in one area. The facing stones were cracked, crumbled and in places the wall was visibly buckled due to the heat damage caused by the vitrification event. At the base of the inner face a series of deposits of burnt timber and cattle bone were identified.
These were located under wall collapse and could represent material predating the main vitrification event. Artefacts recovered included several flakes of flint, modern bottle glass and a modern coin. Ecofacts included cattle teeth and bone. A programme of further excavation and post-excavation analysis, including radiocarbon dating will help define the chronology and possible phasing at the site.
Archive: University of Aberdeen
Funder: University of Aberdeen and Historic Environment Scotland
Gordon Noble, Cathy MacIver and James O’Driscoll – University of Aberdeen
(Source: DES, Volume 18)
OASIS ID: jamesodr1-407719
