Excavation

Date 5 September 2021 - 18 September 2021

Event ID 1138321

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1138321

NN 99278 91032 Trial excavation at Sgòr an Eòin was carried out from 5–18 September 2021 with grant support from the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and support in kind from NTS Mar Lodge Estate. The aim of the fieldwork was to explore the location of a surface scatter of stone tools identified through walkover survey undertaken by a UCD team as part of the Upper Dee Tributaries Project in 2015 (see Canmore ID: 353939).

A team from UCD School of Archaeology excavated thirty 1 x 0.5m test-pits surrounding the location of the surface artefacts. Artefacts were recovered from the interface of thin peats and heavily podsolised sands. Artefacts were rare, with only 32 identified, and only six test-pits containing artefacts. The scatter is possibly less than 5m across. All of the artefacts were flint and many were fragmentary and burnt. The assemblage includes a small number of diagnostic Later Mesolithic artefacts. The assemblage is slightly unusual in character, and only contains a limited range of types. Our provisional interpretation of site formation processes is that the Mesolithic settlement took place on a small rise on a well-drained Late Glacial terrace, seemingly on an in situ soil development of fine sands above the terrace. Subsequent peat formation and podsolisation transformed the drainage, forming the small ‘stream’, which had disturbed the site. This means that some, at least of the site, is deflated by the watercourse, but fragments of it remain in situ, especially to the SW. A possible pit was located in one area and samples from it are being processed.

Archive: University College Dublin and The National Trust for Scotland

Funder: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland

Graeme Warren – University College Dublin (UCD) and The National Trust for Scotland