Field Visit
Date 12 August 2008 - 15 August 2008
Event ID 558622
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/558622
NO 0451 1309 (centred on) A walkover survey was carried out 12–15 August 2008. Teams of students walked systematically across defined areas c20m apart, flagging any features of interest and returning to record them on a form and discuss their interpretation. In this way we covered 800 x 500m, and recorded 37 sites and features.
By far the most striking aspect of the archaeology of our area was the complex of substantial, almost monumental, turf dykes, typically 1.5m wide and 0.5m high. We recorded an area of rig and furrow immediately S of Knock of Boghall that had furrows c10m apart, c25mm high and a well developed curved profile.
The turf dyke complexes were associated with small, apparently turf-built structures, normally isolated or in pairs, with typical (and interestingly consistent) dimensions of 8–9m x 5–6m. These dispersed structures may be precursors of the familiar nucleated post-medieval settlements, or may be post-medieval and associated with the rig and furrow and the enclosures.
Permission to survey was granted by the landowner George Ritchie.
www.gla.ac.uk/archaeology/research/projects/SERF
Archive: RCAHMS
Funder: British Academy, Historic Scotland, Department of Archaeology University of Glasgow and Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Michael Given (Department of Archaeology, University of Glasgow), 2008