Carnoustie, Upper Victoria Link, Cist 5

During the larger evaluation phase (see event ID: 1092885), eight cist burials were uncovered and were subject to excavation. Three of these were voided and had phenomenal preservation including textiles and organics. Four beaker vessels, two bone woggles and a copper alloy blade were recovered from the cists.

Cist 1 - Cist 1 was located to the western portion of the site and was on a SW-NE orientation. It consisted of large sub-rounded boulders with corbelled angular flat stones across the southern boulder. Internal dimensions of the Cist 1 measured 1.05m x 0.50m x 0.45m. The cist was visible from the

surface with no capstone and infilled with a mid-brown silty sand. The remains within consisted of a likely crouched inhumation with the head to the south of the cist facing north and the remnants of the femur, fibula and tibia of the right leg. At the base of where the lower back would have been a small pile of human teeth were collected. The teeth were loosely bundled together, and appeared to be a mix of cremated and un-cremated teeth, mainly consisting of the molar caps. This has been interpreted as a possible grave good.

Cist 2 - To the west of cist 1 was a pit measuring 2.2m by 1.8m which contained cist 2, which itself measured 1.2m in length, 0.58m in width and 0.8m in height. The cist appeared to have been previously disturbed with some of the capstone remaining however the rest had been removed. Upon removal of the cist side slabs a small portion of heavily degraded and fragmented bone was recovered. No further finds or remains were associated.

Cist 3 - Located within the central area of structure 3 and enclosed by the ditches, Cist 3 was situated in a large, steep sided pit which measured 2.2m by 1.88m by 1.2m. The pit consisted heavily of large sub-rectangular and sub rounded stones suggesting that the cist was perhaps once marked with a cairn. The cist was capped with two large flattened stones with uprights including large upright slabs with rounded edges, on a SW-NE orientation. Cist 3 contained the poorly preserved remains of a crouched inhumation. The skull and legs were present with the majority of the main body severly degraded, overlaying body stain.

Cist 4 - Located to the NE of Cist 3, Cist 4 was uncovered within a large pit measuring 2.0m in length, 2.0m in width and 1.24m in height. The presence of a stone rich fill again, like Cist 3, was suggestive of the potential presence of an overlying cairn during the initial lifecycle of the cist. Cist 4 was capped with a large shattered sandstone schist capstone. The uprights comprised of red sandstone side slabs to the east and west, and sandstone to the north, with no slab at the south end, instead being built up with natural sand and 'capped' with a medium rounded beach stone. The skeletal remains within Cist 4 included that of a crouched inhumation with the head in the southeastern corner looking south. Beside the head was a poorly preserved ceramic vessel of unknown typology. Some longbones including the legs and some arm bones were also recovered from Cist 4.

Cist 5 - Cist 5 and 6 were located beside each other to the north of Cist 4. Cist 5 again sat within another large pit measuring 2.21m in length, 1.68m in width and 0.8m in height. The pit was filled by a loose silty sand, with regular small -sub-rounded stones and occasional quartz pebbles. The capstone was a large red sandstone slab measuring 1.3m in length, 1.18m in width and 0.17m in thickness which rested on uprights of green sandstone schist orientated on a NE-SW alignment. On the removal of the captsone, Cist 5 was observed to be void of fill material and contained the remains of at least three individuals. The main individual was laid on their left side with the head to the east facing south. This individual was likely tightly bounded and covered in a possible ox-hide or fabric shroud. Textile fragments were recovered from the femur and a bone woggle was recovered from the northern most femur. Also buried with this individual were the cremated remains of another individual which were positioned to the SE of the knee, as well as the disarticulated remains of a juvenile. A two-thirds complete Beaker vessel was located to the NE of the main individual's skull. All of the remains and the pot were laid on a tightly packed quartz pebble base. Several organic residues and deposits were sampled from around the individuals.

Cist 6 - Located immediately to the SW of cist 5 was another pit, measuring 2.83m in length by 1.86m in width and 1m in height. Similar to cist 5, cist 6 had a sand fill with occasional quartz inclusions. The capstone comprised of another large red sandstone slab. The uprights for Cist 6 were of a similar type to that of Cist 5 however with longer slabs forming the main cist on a NE-SW alignment. The two longer side slabs both extended beyond the main body of the cist (at opposite sides and ends) by a significant amount. The remains of two individuals were present, one in the southwestern portion and one in the northeast. Both remains were fairly well preserved with some organic covering. The remains of a crushed Beaker were uncovered beside the individual in the southwestern portion. Another decorated bone woggle was recovered from the upper body of the individual in the northeast portion.

Cist 7 - South of enclosure 1, Cist 7 was revealed with the top masked by modern broad rig. The cist was at the base of a large pit measuring 2.2m in length, 2.1m in width and 2.0m in height. The pit was filled with a sandy silt with occasional quartz pebbles and overlay the capstone. Cist 7 was a voided cist with one crouched inhumation present and the possible bones of a juvenile located at the south end of the cist beside the hands of the main individual. The cist was slightly infilled by intrusive material from the cist walls, with the body laying on organic deposits. At the base of the left arm was a small copper alloy blade covered by a black organic substance, thought to be a sheath.

Cist 8 - Cist 8 was located by the geophysical survey between cist 5 and cist 7. It was positioned within a shallower pit than the other cists measuring 1.2m in length, by 0.75m in width and 0.6m in height. The cist was capped with a broken sandstone shist cap that had allowed a large quantity of later fill to intrude into the cist. The cist contained the poorly preserved remains of an individual, with the skull and some of the leg bones surviving, along with a fragment of the pelvis. The remains were on positioned on their right side with the skull to the northwest corner looking south. A stout ceramic Beaker was recovered on its side from the base of the individuals lower back. The vessel survived relatively well, however it has degraded on it's underside likely due to the pressure from the collapsed soils above. The individual lay on a loosely placed quartz and pebble mixed base with a lightly surviving stain under the skull and legs.

Three probable cremation pits were also excavated all in relatively close proximity to cist 5 and 6, however, as the bone was unidentifiable in the field as to being human or not, not dating was suggested. All three pits contained high concentration of burnt bone. Two of these pits had been heavily truncated. The pits ranged in measurements from 0.36-0.54m x 0.29-0.89m x 0.10-0.32m with steep to gentle sides onto concave bases. They contained high density of burnt bone, particularly towards the base of the fills.

Information from Steven Watt (AOC Archaeology) July 2019

OASIS ID: aocarcha1-357122

A series of archaeological work was undertaken by AOC Archaeology between 28th of January and the 7th of June 2019. The works consisted of an evaluation, monitored topsoil strip, excavation and geophysical survey.

An initial phase of evaluation consisted of over 2000 linear metres of trenches, which revealed extensive features including ring grooves, linears and pits. These discoveries led to a monitored topsoil strip and an excavation of a c 4.5 ha area. The excavation revealed several prehistoric and early historic structures, as well as field boundaries and general settlement evidence across the site.

Eight cist burials were also uncovered during the excavation. Three of these were voided and had phenomenal preservation including textiles and organics. Four beaker vessels, two bone woggles and a copper alloy blade were recovered from the cists.

Information from Steven Watt (AOC Archaeology) July 2019

OASIS ID: aocarcha1-357122