Archaeology of Inchmarnock Research Project - St Marnock's Chapel 2004
Date May 2004 - June 2004
Event ID 1123653
Category Recording
Type Excavation
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1123653
NS 0237 5965 The fourth and final season of excavation in June and July 2004 at St Marnock's Chapel (see DES 2003, 38-9) concentrated on the area around the chapel itself.
To the N of the chapel, the remains of an earlier building were excavated, as was a drain, thought to be contemporary with the earlier building, and several graves. These features owed their survival to an apparent shift in the distribution of burials following the Reformation, after which this part of the cemetery appears to have been largely shunned, and burials appear to have been focused on the area immediately to the S of the chapel. Such was the density of burials in this part of the site that no earlier features survived. Excavation within the nave established that this area, too, had been extensively disturbed by post-medieval burials. The nave seems to have been particularly favoured for the burial of children.
The finds largely consist of redeposited material of wide-ranging date reflecting the long history of use, the earliest find being a Mesolithic flint core. As before, the assemblage is dominated by incised and inscribed slate, mainly early medieval in date. The most significant pieces in this season's assemblage are a possible grave slab incised with a complex hunting scene, a boat and abstract designs, and a small piece depicting an aisled basilican-type church with figures. The remainder of the assemblage comprises gaming boards, lettering, abstract designs and doodles. Also recovered were fragments of two early medieval combs and imported medieval pottery.
Report to be lodged with the NMRS.
Sponsor: Sir Robert Smith.
R Conolly 2004
