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Excavation

Date 2 July 2018 - 15 July 2018

Event ID 1105782

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1105782

NC 0366 2784 Work from 2 – 15 July 2018 consisted of the excavation of deposits in Cell 1, the guard cell on the eastern side of the entrance passage, which was not completed during the 2017 excavations. The cell was found to contain c0.5m of wind-blown sand deposits, overlying a thick black organic silt, which was partially waterlogged, resulting in reasonable survival of organic materials. Finds from these contexts included partially-articulated animal bone, ceramic sherds, deposits of a fatty substance, wood fragments (some of which were worked), a spindle whorl, sheet metal fragments and short lengths of spun crowberry fibre (Empetrum nigrum). It is likely that these deposits represent dumped midden material rather than in situ accumulation of occupation debris.

The approach to the broch entrance passage was also cleared of rubble, revealing remains of a secondary structure built adjacent to the broch. Door jambs and paved flooring belonging to this building were uncovered, along with an entrance to a further internal space to the NW of the broch entrance passage. This building was not investigated further, and the rubble interior of the entrance was consolidated and supported by the project stonemason. Further rubble clearance in the approach to the broch has defined the entrance to the enclosure to the settlement, formed by a heavy stone wall with an entrance in the NE.

Further conservation work was carried out on the wall head in the NE quadrant of the broch, completing the stabilisation works begun in 2017.

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Funder: HES, HLF, SSE Communities Fund and Pilgrim Trust

Graeme Cavers, John Barber, Andy Heald, Alex Wood, Leanne Demay and Gordon Sleight – AOC Archaeology Group

(Source: DES Vol 19)

People and Organisations

References