Forteviot Excavation and Geophysical Survey

Date April 2008 - 24 August 2008

Event ID 578619

Category Project

Type Project

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/578619

NO 0526 1692 A cropmark complex was identified during aerial reconnaissance across three fields immediately to the S of Forteviot in the 1970s. It consists of a probable Neolithic palisaded enclosure, a number of possible henge monuments, later prehistoric settlement and an early medieval barrow and long grave cemetery.

The avenue of the palisaded enclosure and a small component of the cemetery were excavated in 2007 (DES

2007, 157–8). The focus of fieldwork in 2008 was a putative henge monument and timber circle within the palisaded enclosure. A geophysical survey was carried out over the henge cropmark in April 2008, although the results of this survey (resistivity and magnetometry) revealed little more than is visible as cropmarks.

Excavations carried out 4–24 August 2008 focussed on opening a trench over the eastern half of the henge, exposing about one third of the monument. The trench was machine opened, but the quantity of stone uncovered led to much of the trench being excavated by hand. A complicated sequence of events that appear to have both pre- and post-dated the henge was recorded, with at least five distinctive elements or phases of activity identified.

Pre-henge activity – A large but shallow oval pit was dug and a large megalithic sandstone block, measuring about 2.1 x 2 x 0.5m was placed in it. The pit was subsequently filled with rounded and angular stones, perhaps cairn material. This pit feature was subsequently enclosed within the henge.

Outside the henge, aerial photography indicated the presence of a timber circle c40m in diameter surrounding

the henge. Two postholes were excavated that revealed little more about this monument, but on the basis of other sites where henges and timber circles occur together, it seems more likely that the timber circle was the earlier of the two. In turn, the ‘megalithic’ element of this monument may well be the earliest element of the site although its character is as yet unclear.

The henge itself is identifiable from the air by two or three ditched features (35m N/S by 30m E/W) that enclose a central area approximately 22m N/S by 21m E/W. The henge has at least one entrance. Two sections were excavated through the ditch, one on the eastern side of the monument, the other across a ditch terminal. The ditch was shown to be substantial, with a maximum depth of 2.8m and a width of 11m, noticeably steeper on the internal side. A series of fills were identified inside the henge, mostly silts, and charcoal deposits and six sherds of the same Beaker were associated with the lower fills in the terminal section. About 1m from the top of the ditch, a deposit of possibly burnt turves or soil was found in the interior side of the ditch, and this was followed by a capping of clay across the whole ditch. No traces of a bank were found, nor any internal features associated with the henge.

Post-henge – The monument seems to have undergone substantial re-working, perhaps in the medieval period.

The upper fill of the henge ditch, immediately above the clay level, consisted of large boulders and angular rubble, mostly basalt possibly quarried from a nearby quarry on the Dronachy ridge (NO01NE 106). The rubble and boulder fill seems to have been levelled out with cobbling, and traces of a compact ash skim across these cobbles survived in a very few locations. Around this time, or perhaps a little later, a large pit was dug in the central area of the henge. This shows as a cropmark ‘blob’ measuring approximately 12 x 6m, aligned NE/SW. Sections through this indicated it was a deep feature, at least 2.5m in depth, with a uniform silty fill that included sherds of Roman amphora and medieval White Gritty ware.

Analysis of environmental samples and a dating programme is ongoing, but at this stage we can speculate that

this timber circle and henge monument enclosed an earlier and unusual megalithic monument, and was subsequently radically altered, perhaps by high-status medieval activity. This sequence will be further examined in the 2009 season.

A second trench was opened in the central area of the palisaded enclosure. This trench, 10 x 20m, was located to examine the pitted features appearing as cropmarks. Within the trench a few insubstantial features and a possible treethrow were half-sectioned. The only feature of note, which was visible as a cropmark, was a sub-oval pit filled with clay and carbonised material which was subsequently cut by a field drain. The nature of this feature is as yet unclear as it rapidly flooded with the slightest rainfall and we were unable to excavate it fully. Environmental samples were taken and will be examined as part of our post-excavation programme.

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

Kenneth Brophy and Gordon Noble (Department of Archaeology University of Glasgow / Department of Archaeology, University of Aberdeen, 2008