Excavation

Date 1 November 2010 - 14 June 2011

Event ID 961629

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/961629

NT 4594 5907 Due to the presence of several previously recorded prehistoric, medieval and post-medieval archaeological features, a programme of work was carried out, 1 November 2010–14 June 2011, prior to the extension of the quarry. The trial trench evaluation and subsequent excavation amounted to 15,337m², representing over 12% of the proposed extension area. Several archaeological features were encountered during the evaluation, including a Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age cairn, an undated posthole circle, an early modern sheepfold and plough marks, and a modern causeway track. Flints and prehistoric pottery were recovered from a hand excavated trench across the stone matrix of the cairn.

Further excavation of the cairn, posthole circle, sheepfold and a select area of plough marks was subsequently undertaken. The complete excavation of the cairn recovered a large fragment of Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age beaker pottery and a cremation burial. All 14 postholes forming the posthole circle were fully investigated but no artefacts or additional archaeological features were encountered. Further investigation of the cultivation marks uncovered a possible field boundary, while excavation in the sheepfold encountered no artefacts or dating evidence.

An additional watching brief on the area around the cairn and posthole circle identified two undated, discontinuous rubble spreads towards the S side of the area. These were roughly aligned with a modern causeway to the SW, recorded during the evaluation, and may be the ephemeral remains of a relict trackway.

Archive: RCAHMS (intended)

Funder: Skene Group Ltd

GUARD Archaeology Ltd, 2011

Information also reported in Oasis (guardarc1-132001) 17 June 2013