Excavation

Date August 2009

Event ID 608982

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/608982

NO 02314 14312 In 2008 the SERF project excavated five trenches on the hillfort of Dunknock. In August 2009, one of these trenches (Trench E) was re-opened and extended. This second phase of excavation was a collaboration between the Department of Archaeology and GUARD.

In 2008 Trench E had identified contexts relating to one of the hillfort’s ramparts. The 2009 excavations aimed to clarify the stratigraphy of this part of the site and to further our understanding of the chronology of the construction and use of the hillfort. The work involved the re-opening of the 2008 trench, removal of the backfill, continued excavation within the limits of the trench and an extension of the trench to the N.

The 2009 excavations clarified the stratigraphy of the trench down to the natural subsoil. In 2008, a series of

contexts relating to the construction of a rampart had been identified. In 2009 these rampart construction contexts were related to an underlying levelling deposit and the old ground surface upon which the rampart had been built. In addition, our understanding of the construction of the rampart was expanded by the identification of contexts relating to a previously unidentified wood and stone northern rampart face. The stratigraphy from 2008 was placed in a wider context through the identification and investigation of a ditch

lying c3.6m to the N of the rampart.

The 2008 radiocarbon dates from Trench E fell in a range from the 8th to 5th centuries BC; however, the nature of the parent contexts and materials of these dates means that the dates do not provide us with a secure understanding of the construction or use of this part of the fort. Radiocarbon dating of material recovered in 2009 will provide more secure dates; of particular significance are charcoal samples from a construction slot for the face of the rampart. Further corroborative dating evidence may be supplied by the analysis of pottery from the fills of the ditch to the N of the rampart.

Archive: University of Glasgow

Funder: Historic Scotland, University of Glasgow (Department of Archaeology) and GUARD

Chris Dalglish, Olivia Lelong, Gavin MacGregor and Dave Sneddon – University of Glasgow (SERF Project and GUARD)