Watching Brief
Date March 2009 - May 2009
Event ID 605087
Category Recording
Type Watching Brief
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/605087
NO 3368 5025 A watching brief in July 2007 (Bailey, DES 2007) prior to Phase 1 of sand and gravel extraction
recorded archaeological features including a roundhouse, a possible cremation pit and a short cist, all probably Bronze Age, as well as a small group of long cists of probable early Christian date.
A second watching brief was undertaken over two separate periods in March and May 2009 during topsoil stripping of a 300 x 250m area in advance of Phase 2 of extraction works. A total of 18 archaeological features were recorded. These were mainly isolated and interpreted as pits/postholes. A number of flint flakes and a significant amount of prehistoric pottery including Grooved Ware were collected from several of the features. One pit contained an abundant amount of domestic plum stones and blackthorn/sloe seeds, as well as apple pips, and must be much later in date. Post-medieval furrows, plough scars and tree-throw hollows were also
observed, along with a modern field boundary.
Report: Aberdeenshire SMR and RCAHMS. The results from Phase 1 are currently being prepared for publication.
Funder: Aggregate Industries UK
Alistair Robertson – Headland Archaeology Ltd