Dounreay

NC 9930 6790 A programme of archaeological work was undertaken in October 2010 in advance of the construction of new low level waste facilities adjacent to Dounreay Nuclear Facility. The work consisted of the excavation of a series of evaluation trenches across the site amounting to 6% of the development area and full hand excavation of Site 36, a small grass-covered mound.

The evaluation of 141 trenches across the site led to the identification of a single small pit that was thought to be a disturbed cist. A number of linear features were also recorded, although these were mostly natural fault lines or drainage channels. Further work included the excavation of a substantial circular cairn of interleaving stone slabs, which measured 10m in diameter and up to 0.65m high. The cairn contained a single stone-lined cist that on excavation was found to have been disturbed. No evidence of human remains or any significant artefacts were recorded within the cist.

Archive: RCAHMS

Funder: Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd

Headland Archaeology Ltd, 2010