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Edinburgh University's Angus and South Aberdeenshire Field School
Date September 1997
Event ID 546781
Category Recording
Type Excavation
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/546781
NO56NW 17 5473 6607 to 5467 6602.
NO 5473 6607 Trenches were excavated in September 1997 across four separate rampart systems on the eastern slopes of the White Caterthun hillfort (NMRS NO 56 NW 17). These excavations were a component of Edinburgh University's Angus and South Aberdeenshire Field School. The work was conducted partly in response to rabbit damage to the site and to provide data for comparison with that obtained from the Brown Caterthun (NO56NE 1) (Dunwell and Strachan 1996).
Trench 1 was excavated across a section of rampart forming part of the annexe on the eastern side of the hill. The rampart was of simple dump construction, with a possible robbed-out external stone face, lying beside a rock-cut ditch c 3m wide by 2m deep. The vestigial remains of a counterscarp bank lay beyond this ditch. The area enclosed by the rampart was characterised by slight scarping of the subsoil upon which a rough cobble spread, which also extended up the inner slope of the rampart, was laid.
Trench 2 was opened across the two outermost ramparts. Both ramparts were of simple dump construction and sealed old ground surfaces. A rock-cut medial ditch separated the ramparts, and a second rock-cut ditch lay downslope from and external to the outer rampart. The outer rampart appears to be the earlier and was constructed of redeposited subsoil from the medial ditch. Both ditches showed evidence of recutting. The secondary fill of the medial ditch comprised a thick deposit of turf which would appear to represent collapse from the inner rampart, which may have taken the form of a turf rampart revetted by a timber face situated in a continuous slot. Such a slot was located beneath the rampart base. A palisade was located running concentric to and external to the outer ditch.
Trench 3 was located on the eastern side of the hill between the inner stone wall and the outer ramparts. It was positioned across the alignment of reputedly the earliest and robbed-out stone rampart of the hillfort. No evidence for this rampart was located. However, three levelled areas formed by rubble and turf were identified; these appear to represent the remains of terraces. These features were sealed by a thick deposit of brown earth and may represent the remains of former cultivation terraces.
Trench 4 was opened across the tumbled stone, ditch and counterscarp bank immediately external to the massive stone wall on the summit of the hill. This trench revealed a rock-cut ditch c 5m wide by 1.2m deep. A shallow and wide rock-cut palisade trench was located adjacent to the inner margin of this ditch, and had subsequently been sealed by the tumbled stone. External to the ditch lay a counterscarp bank sealing an old ground surface. This counterscarp bank appears to have been placed on a prepared terrace which also seals an old ground surface. Both the terrace and the counterscarp bank were cut by a secondary deep and wide palisade trench. It is possible that this terrace relates to the activity described in Trench 3.
Finds were restricted to coarse stone tools. Samples were taken for environmental analysis and radiocarbon dating from all trenches.
A full report will be lodged with the NMRS.
Sponsors: Historic Scotland, Edinburgh University.
