Excavation

Date 23 August 2009 - 5 September 2009

Event ID 607311

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/607311

NM 5470 7076 Excavations at Cladh Aindreis chambered cairn began in 2006, focusing on the cairn’s structural sequence and landscape relationships. In 2009 Historic Scotland once again kindly granted permission for the excavation of three trenches and work took place from 23 August–5 September 2009.

Trench 1 was expanded into the forecourt of the cairn. Previous years’ excavations in Trench 1 have aimed to find the front of the cairn; however, no evidence of any structural cairn material has been recorded. Instead, the excavation has revealed packing material, which is thought to relate to the blocking of the cairn in its final phases of use in the Neolithic. The 2009 excavations confirmed this interpretation, with layers of earth and gravel, containing fragments of pottery and bone, blocking a curved façade, similar to many other Clyde cairns. Having helped to identify the ‘front’ of the monument in 2010 an extension to this trench will clarify its shape and investigate whether the chamber was accessible from this direction.

Trench 9 was opened immediately behind the chamber in the centre of the monument and aimed to determine if the cairn was constructed on a shell midden. However, while the intention was to excavate through cairn material, what appeared to be a possible ‘closed cist’ was encountered and excavations were stopped pending further consultation with Historic Scotland. Probable Neolithic pottery was also recovered from this trench.

Trench 4 was re-opened following the discovery of a possible entrance to a structure in 2008. The trench revealed a complex sequence of structures which are yet to be fully resolved. However, the results of the 2009 season appear to show that a kerbed cairn was built on the SW corner of the chambered cairn. Later, what appears to be a square cellular structure was built on top of the kerb cairn with a possible long cist inserted into the entrance of the cellular structure. A full dating and post-excavation programme is under

way which aims to resolve some of these issues. Further excavations are planned for 2010.

Archive: Highland SMR and RCAHMS (intended)

Funder: University of Manchester, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research and CFA Archaeology Ltd

Hannah Cobb, Hèlèna Gray, Oliver Harris and Philip Richardson – University of Manchester/University of Cambridge and University of Newcastle