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Excavation
Date 1991
Event ID 546053
Category Recording
Type Excavation
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/546053
Excavation in the Upper Hall of the tower of Drum Castle revealed at least five phases of use. These included:
(1) a primary construction layer with wood chips and carpentry debris lying on top of the lower vault infill, which consisted of earth with an occasional turf and patches of moss or peat. On top of this infill were found an iron arrowhead, a piece of fabric and a short length of thin rope made from vegetable fibre.
(2) The floor debris from a first occupation phase from which the remains of a leather shoe were recovered. Enough survived to reveal the technique of manufacture as being of possible early 14th century date.
(3) A second occupation layer with two post holes but no datable artefacts.
(4) Remains of a screen and passageway along the east end of the hall, with associated occupation debris and sparse remains of the collapsed screen. Two post holes and two possible stone post-plinths lay in the north-east corner along with a small patch of cobbles, in the vicinity of where the stairs to the upper floor had stood.
(5) A post-screen occupation.
A number of small bronze or copper pins and a few small sherds of pottery were recovered from the passageway area.
Over 50 masons marks were observed while checking stonework of the hall and newall stair.
Two small trial trenches were cut in the cellar to establish the depth of deposit; it proved to be only c5cm deep. Bones, nutshells and grain were recovered. A small pit of 18th to 19th cenntury date was found to cut an earlier post hole which in turn cut a rat barrow. Down this rat hole, a small, hollow wooden artefact was found. It is 9cm long, tapers slightly from 1.7cm diameter to 0.7cm diameter and has been produced on a lathe. Two holes, slightly bevelled, are bored through one side c1cm apart and a single hole slightly further round towards the other side. It is uncertain what this object is although the possibility of it being some type of musical instrument is still being investigated. Sponsor: National Trust for Scotland.
