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At the Water’s Edge: Early Iron Age Settlement Patterns, Loch Tay

Date 23 September 2018 - 26 September 2018

Event ID 1089024

Category Project

Type Project

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1089024

NN 67244 39175 A programme of work was undertaken, 23–26 September 2018, as part of the project: At the Water’s Edge: Early Iron Age Settlement Patterns, Loch Tay, which seeks to test the distribution of Early Iron Age settlement evidence around Loch Tay through geophysical survey and excavation.

Easter Croftintygan ring ditch houses are located c400m NW of Easter Croftintygan Farm at 230m OD. Preservation of the two ring ditch houses is dramatically different, with one very well preserved (House 1) with obvious ditch and bank features and the other remains very slight with only

its central flat platform and a portion of ditch surviving (House 2). House 1 was surveyed in 2000 by RCAHMS.

A magnetic gradiometer and RTK-GPS surveys were undertaken over both houses. Two trial trenches were excavated in House 1 to characterise the surviving

deposits and collect material for radiocarbon dating. The gradiometer survey was conducted in two adjoined 20 x 20m grids. Trenches were hand excavated, drawn and photogrammetrically recorded. The magnetic gradiometer survey largely confirmed the position and extent of House 1, but also identified a high

magnetic return, c1m in diameter, near the centre of the central platform of the house. Interpreted as a possible hearth feature, this was targeted with Trench 1 of the two trial trenches. Magnetic gradiometer survey over House 2 more clearly defined the extent of its ditch and high returns within the central platform of the structure suggest internal features are present. Trench 1 (2 x 1m) was located over the high return in the central platform and established that it was probably associated with a shallow cut feature. The feature was filled by a deposit with occasional charcoal fragments and rare,

very small (

Trench 2 (4 x 1m) which cut through the external bank and ditch only saw the removal of turf and topsoil before being recorded. The trench revealed the very stony fill of the uppermost portion of the ditch, probably representing tumble from the bank or internal house features. The stones were set in a very wet, charcoal-rich fill, suggesting that good preservation is likely within the ditch fills.

Archive: ADS and NRHE (both intended)

Funder: Royal Archaeological Institute

Michael J Stratigos – Scottish Universities Environmental

Research Centre (SUERC)

People and Organisations

References