Excavation

Date 4 July 2011 - 24 July 2011

Event ID 964494

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/964494

As part of the Yarrows Heritage Project the Yarrows Heritage Trust embarked on the excavation of the broch at Thrumster. The excavation was undertaken by volunteers supervised by AOC, from 4–24 July 2011.

Thrumster Broch is on Thrumster Mains, a sporting estate in Caithness. Part of the broch was dismantled in the late 18th century for use as a garden feature and, later, to make way for the construction of a summer house, which still stands. Records state that human remains were discovered and subsequently reburied 20 paces from the summer house. A long-handled weaving comb, presented to the National Museum in 1783 by Mr Innes of Thrumster is believed to have come from this site.

Previously unexcavated, the broch was believed to be solid-walled. However, the structure was found to feature intra-mural galleries and at least one cell (to the N). The inner and outer walls each consist of three concentric layers of stonework. It has previously been believed that the entranceway had been in the S of the building, obliterated by the building of the summerhouse. However, an entranceway, blocked in antiquity, was discovered in the NW. It was paved with massive stone slabs and subsequently infilled. The galleries in the N were also filled with large stones. Fracturing in the wall faces suggest that this area of the monument had been subjected to severe structural stresses. It is possible that the resultant damage led to the infilling of the features in this area and relocation of the entranceway in an attempt to stabilise the structure. Disarticulated human remains were found in the infill of the gallery in the NW of the structure. The site proved rich in radiocarbon datable remains and the structural sequence is being explored with a series of radiocarbon dates.

Archive: RCAHMS (intended)

Funder: Highland Leader+; Highland Council; Heritage Lottery Fund and Scottish Natural Heritage

AOC Archaeology Group, 2011