Archaeology Notes

Event ID 682797

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/682797

NO13NW 5 1251 3971

For fort (NO 1152 3930) incorporating Roman stone, see NO13NW 6. For barrows at NO 1279 3968 and 1274 3968, see NO13NW 7.00.

NO13NW 5.00 NO 125 397 Roman Fortress

NO13NW 5.01 NO 119 394 Roman Temporary Camp

NO13NW 5.02 NO 1165 3934 Roman Temporary Camp

NO13NW 5.03 NO 1199 3966 to NO 1217 3927 Linear Earthwork

NO13NW 5.04 NO 125 397 Flat Bronze Axe

NO13NW 5.05 NO 1261 3989 Cinerary Urns

NO13NW 5.06 NO 1254 3956 Mortuary Enclosure; Iron

Axe -Head

NO13NW 5.07 NO 1271 3937 Roman Temporary Compound

NO13NW 5.08 NO 1271 3937 'The Redoubt' Roman Enclosure

NO13NW 5.09 NO 1172 3958 to NO 1178 3957 Linear Cropmark

NO13NW 5.10 NO 1253 3926 to NO 1291 3942 Linear Cropmark

NO13NW 5.11 NO 1245 3958 Ring-ditch

(NO 125 397) Roman Fort (R)

(NO 129 396) Redoubt (R)

OS 6" map (1959)

The Legionary Fortress at Inchtuthil, known as Pinnata Castra, was founded by Agricola soon after AD 83 and systematically demolished soon after AD 86.

The defences comprise a single ditch, 20' wide by 6 1/2' deep, and a turf rampart, now 13' wide but cut back to receive a stone wall 5' thick. The wall encloses an area of 1,520' by 1,565', or 53 acres. The gateways were of timber,with twin portals recessed between two towers 20' square.

Internal buildings comprise the headquarters, officer's houses, 64 barracks, 6 granaries, stores sheds, military hospital, drill hall and construction shop. Not all the buildings, however, had been built before the fortress was deliberately dismantled, following the transfer of Legio II Adiutrix to the Danube frontier.

Other visible Roman remains comprise the redoubt and a linear earthwork (the western vallum) W of the fortress is the site of a 'labour camp', almost as large as the fortress, which was occupied during the construction of the latter, and gradually reduced in size as the work progressed. There was yet another temporary camp towards the SW tip of the plateau, and an extra-mural senior officers' temporary compound on the SE angle of the fortress.

Inchtuthil was excavated by Abercromby in 1901, and by Richmond and St Joseph between 1952 and 1965.

R G Collingwood and I Richmond 1969

NO 125 397 The late Prof St Joseph discovered an iron ballista head among a small assemblage of nails he had retained from the hoard discovered inside the fabrica. This is the first such item recognised from the hoard. Legally donated to National Museum of Scotland (NMS).

Daybook no: DB 1994/12.

NMS 1994r.