Archaeology Notes
Event ID 672491
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/672491
NK02NW 2 01037 26352 and 01073 26332
For nearby cairns, see NK02NW 13.
See also NK02NW 3.
(Centred NK 0105 2629) The 'Forvie Site'
Information from A C O'Dell October 1953
Within an area 300 yds by 100 yds (400 yds by 60 yds [W Kirk 1953]) along the crest of a sand-covered ridge, is a settlement of 19 circular huts, part of which is still buried under the dune ridge to the W.
The huts vary from 20-40 feet in diameter. Their floors are sunk into the sand underlying a heath surface, and covered with red clay or paving stones. The walls are formed by banking up the excavated sand, and stabilising it with clay and turf to carry a stone kerb. Inside, posts supported the roof timbers. The entrances are invariably on the E side. Jet beads and bracelets, and a mass of coarse undecorated pottery were found both within and outside the huts, indicating an Late Bronze Age/ Early Iron Age date. Outside the huts amid a scatter of fire-cracked stones are traces of working places, where saddle and flat rotary querns have been found. Occasional middens containing animal bones are evident (W Kirk 1958).
Seven of the huts (described by Kirk as stone circles) and an adjacent ring cairn (See NK02NW 16) were discovered in 1951. The cairn, one of the huts, and a "domestic site" were excavated (Kirk's sites "A, B,
& C" respectively. Another hut "D" is described but was not excavated. (see W Kirk 1953) Of the remaining five huts (which are not described) one ('E') lies 40 yards to the W of hut 'D', two more (F & G) occur about 150 yds N of D, the fourth ('H') is to the S of hut B and the fifth (J) lies close to domestic site C (W Kirk 1953).
Subsequent investigation revealed another 12 huts, at least one of which stood within an outer palisade.
W Kirk 1953; W Kirk 1955; W Kirk 1958.
Since Kirk's examination of this settlement, centred NK 010 263, drifting sand has encroached upon it and only four huts can positively be identified (B, D, E & F).
Hut 'B' is largely obscured by sand blow and is only identifiable as a hut from Kirk's excavation report.
'D' is as described by Kirk. The discontinuous 'inner circle' of stone is probably the remains of a retaining wall.
'E' measures 18.0m in diameter between the centres of a wall of similar construction to 'D'. Extending inwards from the south side of the entrance in the east is a bank of stones c. 3.0m long and c. 0.2m. wide.
All that is visible of 'F' is the east arc comprising a line of eight stones set on edge protruding through the sand.
About 20.0m. south of hut 'B' is a scattered arc of stones, 'H', appearing out of the E base of the dune ridge. Although Kirk notes this as a hut, there is insufficient visible to support his classification.
Huts 'G' and 'J' and the twelve huts found subsequent to Kirk's report of 1953 cannot be located and there is doubt as to their authenticity, as a map prepared by Aberdeen University from a Hunting air survey shows no huts. It is felt that students may have misidentified scattered stones as huts.
All that remains of Kirk's 'domestic site C' is an amorphous pile of stones, partly sand covered, exhibiting no built structure. It may be a working area associated with the huts.
Around the huts are numerous scatters of stones, some of which are fire-cracked, and to the NW of hut 'D' is a paved area. No middens were seen. There is no evidence of cultivation. In the collection of Mr W Middleton (information from Mr Middleton, 109 Gairn Terrace, Aberdeen) is a stone hand hammer found by him in 1953 in the area immediately to the north of hut 'D'.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (RL) 27 August 1970.
Air photograph: AAS/97/13/CT.
NMRS, MS/712/29.
Scheduled with NK02NW 3 as 'Sands of Forvie, hut circles and ring cairn 1020m E of East Cottage... a complex of prehistoric remains...'
Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 30 March 2009.
