Accessibility

Font Size

100% 150% 200%

Background Colour

Default Contrast
Close Reset

Birkwood

Flint Scatter (Prehistoric)

Site Name Birkwood

Classification Flint Scatter (Prehistoric)

Canmore ID 36694

Site Number NO79NW 9

NGR NO 7103 9569

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/36694

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Copyright and database right 2024.

Toggle Aerial | View on large map

Digital Images

Administrative Areas

  • Council Aberdeenshire
  • Parish Banchory-ternan
  • Former Region Grampian
  • Former District Kincardine And Deeside
  • Former County Kincardineshire

Archaeology Notes

NO79NW 9 c.7103 9569.

A large collection of Mesolithic flint, schistose grit and quartz artifacts collected by Miss H M L Paterson between 1906 and 1941 is now preserved in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS). The collection is mainly the result of the gleaning of ploughed fields on two terraces of the River Dee (approximately on the 200ft contour line) between the confluence of that river with the Water of Feugh (7095) and two miles downstream to Knappach (7395) - including the grounds of Beltcraigs, Birkwood, Mayfield and Knappach but is also derived from an excavation at NO 7103 9569 by Miss Paterson, Lacaille, and Dr. Graham Callendar in 1935. The collection, which includes flakes, blades, scrapers, micro-burins and cores, is also rich in microliths some of which have been made by micro-burin technique.

A D Laicaille 1954; H M L Paterson and A D Lacaille 1936; Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1951.

In 1935 trenching 450m SW of Birkwood farmhouse revealed part of a Mesolithic settlement; artifacts of flint, schistose grit and quartz (some of them burnt) were found with charcoal at depths of between 0.6m and 1m. The finds are preserved in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland.

H M L Paterson and A D Lacaille 1936; A D Lacaille 1954; RCAHMS 1984

Activities

Field Walking (13 March 2021 - 16 May 2021)

NO 74825 96061, NO 75757 96370, NO 74840 95668, NO 70978 95696 (Canmore ID 36694)

Mesolithic Deeside, like many projects, was hit by Covid-19 but we managed to fieldwalk four fields in a Covid-safe manner in small groups over 10 days. These fields were:

Milton Cottage (MC 1201) lithics were retrieved, including broken ovoid macehead, Mesolithic cores, and blades. (See also Canmore ID: 36664, 75009)

Nethermills 3 (NM3 1185) lithics were retrieved. East Balbridie 6 (EB6 36) lithics retrieved.

Beltcraigs (BC1 624) lithics in previous grass field ploughed for first time in at least 20 years. Findspot of Hilda Paterson pygmy flints in early 20th century. (See also: Canmore 36694)

Previous work has been reported (DES Volumes 17–21).

Archive: NRHE

Funder: Mesolithic Deeside

Sheila Duthie, Elaine Lindsay, Angela Groat, Alison Cameron

– Mesolithic Deeside

(Source: DES Vol 22)

Test Pit Survey (6 October 2022 - 9 October 2022)

NO 71068 95725 Cameron Archaeology in conjunction with Mesolithic Deeside carried out four days of test-pitting on 6–9 October 2022 at the known Late Upper Palaeolithic/Mesolithic site. Twenty-seven volunteers took part in the dig and six test-pits were excavated, four down to the base at c1.7m. In all, 1327 lithics were recovered which appear to be Mesolithic and possibly Later Upper Palaeolithic as well as hazelnut shells and charcoal from several contexts. Samples were taken for pOSL by Tim Kinnaird and Richard Tipping.

Archive: NRHE and Aberdeenshire HER

Funder: Skinner Charitable Trust

Alison Cameron, Richard Tipping, Tim Kinnaird, Ann Clarke, Angela Groat, Sheila Duthie, Elaine Lindsay – Cameron Archaeology for Mesolithic Deeside

(Source DES Volume 23)

References

MyCanmore Image Contributions


Contribute an Image

MyCanmore Text Contributions