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Sands Of Forvie

Kerb Cairn(S) (Prehistoric), Quern, Slag (Iron), Unidentified Pottery

Site Name Sands Of Forvie

Classification Kerb Cairn(S) (Prehistoric), Quern, Slag (Iron), Unidentified Pottery

Alternative Name(s) Waterside; Sands Of Forvie Nature Reserve

Canmore ID 20843

Site Number NK02NW 13

NGR NK 0117 2657

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

C14 Radiocarbon Dating

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/20843

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Aberdeenshire
  • Parish Slains
  • Former Region Grampian
  • Former District Gordon
  • Former County Aberdeenshire

Archaeology Notes

NK02NW 13 0117 2657

See also NK02NW 2.

A short distance to the N of the Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age settlement (NK02NW 2) is another group of huts. Further to the N is a solitary example situated on the S fringe of the N zone of the Sands where sand has mounted the cliffed coastal plateau of Buchan.

W Kirk 1955.

No huts were found in the area indicated but at NK 0117 2657, overlooking the settlement, there are two cairns just protruding through the sand on a dune ridge. Each cairn measures 4.6m in diameter and c 0.2m in height. The more southerly is retained by a contiguous kerb of stones set on edge. The other is more sand covered and no definite kerb can be seen.

Surveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (RL) 27 August 1970.

NK 012 266. Three kerb cairns, each under 5m in diameter. West of the cairns, an old land surface has a quantity of flint debitage. Other finds include two fragments of a disc rotary quern with upright handle, fragments of coarse pottery and a piece of metal slag.

I Ralston 1977.

(GRC/AAS NK02NW 13: location cited as NK 0117 2658. Site of Regional Significance within National Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest). Cairns, overlooking settlement NK02NW 2. The more southerly is retained by a contiguous kerb of stones set on edge. The other is more sand-covered and no kerb can be seen. The cairns produced small fragments of bone, flint flakes and pebbles, pottery sherds, quartz, and possible hammerstones.

To the W of the cairns, an old land surface has been (1976) revealed: on it a quantity of flint debitage may be seen. Other finds include two fragments of a disc rotary quern with upright handle, fragments of coarse pottery, and a piece of metal slag.

Also found in the vicinity were the remains of a large midden within which were traces of stone-built features; ard-marking episodes during the establishment of the midden; pebble and beaten-earth floor levels distinguished apparently in the building up of the midden; structures set into the upper structure of the midden, including a kerb-cairn.

(Air photographic imagery, bibliographic references, seasons of excavation, small finds and laboratory samples listed).

(GRC/AAS NK02NW 24: location cited as NK 0118 2657). Arc of stones revealed by continued sand deflation 2m SE of kerb-cairn (GRC/AAS NK02NW 13). It is likely that much of this feature remains buried under an eroding sand dune.

(Bibliographic reference cited).

NMRS, MS/712/102.

Scheduled as 'Sands of Forvie, cairns 1115m SE of Waterside... the remains of three kerb cairns surviving as exposed stone mounds.'

Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 30 March 2009.

Activities

Project (May 2022 - May 2023)

A Community Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (CCZAS) of the Aberdeenshire coast from Cullen at the Moray-Aberdeenshire council boundary to Milton Ness at the Aberdeenshire-Angus council boundary was undertaken. The survey area also included a stretch of coastline from Blackdog to Bridge of Don which falls within the City of Aberdeen council boundary.

The aim of the survey was to characterise and assess the condition and vulnerability of the coastal archaeological resource along stretches of coastline identified as being at moderate to high risk of erosion by 2030. Most of the accessible coastline falling into this category was walked by SCAPE officers and volunteers over several separate surveys between May 2022 and May 2023.

Information from S Boyd and J Hambly - Scottish Coastal Archaeology and the Problem of Erosion (SCAPE)

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