Excavation

Date 7 September 2017 - 19 September 2017

Event ID 1040586

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1040586

NO 0093 4303 (NO04SW 19) The scheduled monument of King’s Seat Hillfort (SM: 1598), also known as ‘The Fort of the Caledonians’, is located on the summit of King’s Seat, a key geographical feature in the landscape, located on a bend on the N side of the River Tay. Scheduled monument consent has been granted for three seasons of excavation and five trenches on the site, four of which were excavated in 2017. Trenches 2–3 were completed. Two further seasons of excavation are planned to complete the excavation of Trench 1 and 4 and start 5.

The fort’s defences consist of a central citadel occupying the summit of the hill and a series of ramparts enclosing lower terraces. The citadel measures c35 x 22m within what are probably the remains of a thick wall. The entrance is located to the N and there appears to have been a track dropping down to a lower terrace on the W. This track and the terrace are edged by a rampart reduced to a stony bank up to 4m in thickness by 0.4m in height, its S end resting on the lip of a precipitous cliff. Below this terrace, on the W, the approach to the fort is partially blocked by three rampart-like features, which form a flight of terraces levelled into the slope. The hillfort sits on exposed bedrock of the Ben Ledi Grit Formation.

Vegetation clearance of the thick rhododendron growth on the hill was carried out by a team of local volunteers in advance of survey and excavation work. A topographic survey of the site was carried out in advance of excavation to record the main features on the site. From 7–19 September 2017 a team of archaeologists from AOC Archaeology and Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust excavated four trenches on the site with a team of local volunteers.

Trench 1 (11 x 3m) investigated the series of ramparts enclosing the lower terraces. The upper rampart was fully excavated and consisted of a bank of large boulders creating a rough outer face and several postholes set back from the inner face. The second rampart was of similar construction but more slumped on the steeper slope. The third lower rampart had been reworked in more modern times as part of a landscaping on the site. Stones had been disturbed and placed along the outside edge of the lower terrace, acting as a kerb for a Victorian track running round and up the hill. A stone mould was retrieved from this trench.

Trench 2 (8 x 8m) investigated an area adjacent to the large schist glacial erratic or ‘King’s Seat’ within the summit enclosure. Topsoil or hillwash deposits were shallow here and bedrock was exposed across the whole trench. Although no features were observed within the thin hillwash deposits unstratified finds including one stone mould, several crucible fragments, several flakes of flint and modern shotgun cartridges were all recorded from this layer. Deposits of small round stones were also identified within this layer, grouped in one location near the glacial erratic and confirmed to have been introduced to the site rather than a natural occurrence. These have been tentatively interpreted as ‘slingshot’ stones.

Trench 3 (2 x 5m) was placed to investigate the summit enclosure wall immediately to the NE of the entrance. The section here revealed that that low bank visible above the ground consisted of large stones and earth with no coherent face. This feature was slumped and collapsing off the outer edge down the steep slope of the hill. Two fragments of the same stone mould were retrieved from within the bank material. The style of mould, in a ‘mirror’ form was the same as the mould found in Trench 2.

Trench 4 was opened and the topsoil removed. Within this mixed layer were large quantities of animal bone, fragments of teeth, claws and horns. Excavation was halted at the interface to the next layer; a charcoal rich horizon containing more stone and possible settings. Artefacts recovered included three stone moulds, two of ‘mirror’ form. After initial research these are similar in form to moulds identified at Garranes, Ireland and Portmahomack, Tarbat amongst others. Several small fragments of crucible were also identified; implying precious metalworking of some form had been taking place. A programme of further excavation and post-excavation analysis, including radiocarbon dating will help define the chronology and possible phasing at the site.

Archive: PKHT

Funder: HLF

Information from AOC Archaeology (Martin Cook, Andy Heald, David Strachan, Katie Roper, Sarah Malone and Cathy Mcivor), Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust, Dunkeld and Birnam Historical Society - 2018

(Source: DES, Volume 18)

OASIS ID - aocarcha1-302707