Excavation

Date June 1955 - June 1955

Event ID 1111108

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1111108

The Glasgow Archaeological Society's excavations on the site of the Meikle Reive, the hill fort on the slope of the Campsies above Lennoxtown, were continued for a period of three weeks during late June and early July, 1955.

The section across the crescent-shaped series of ramparts and ditches along the northern flank of the fort, was; continued from the middle rampart across to the outermost ditch. The outer defences proved less elaborate than those examined last year and incorporated natural hillocks and hollows to an extent not previously suspected. The whole series appears to belong to one period; no occupational material whatever was obtained from the ditches. The rampart forming the main enclosure on the south flank of the fort consists of a mound with a stone kerb instead of the well-built walling exposed on the north side last year.

Much of the season's work was devoted to the interior, partly to investigate further the character of the buildings located previously, and particularly to discover some dateable object. The foundations uncovered were of rather indefinite form; reconstruction was detected, confirming the impression that the Meikle Reive was occupied for a not inconsiderable period. Part of a black shale ‘armlet’, a stone ball, and some fragments of extremely coarse pottery were found, but relies generally were so few - there was a complete absence of quern stones — as to constitute a problem in interpretation, and the dating remains doubtful.

The site is peculiar in some respects, owing to its location on a landslip and seems to be one which, in view of the poverty in dateable material, might be better interpreted when comparative material has become available from less problematical sites. The eastern half of this more or less symmetrical fort has been left completely untouched.

Dr H Fairhurst (DES 1955, 31-2)