EAB15980 - ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTERVENTION - ROADSIDE OF CATTERLINE

The cist, orientated east-west, and covered by a stone slab, was excavated soon after its discovery by A. Small, University of Dundee. The cist contained the skeleton of a child of about six to seven years of age, and a beaker, partially filled, which lay on its side at the opposite end of the cists form the skull. The beaker, belonging to Clarke's N3 group, was well made and its surface had been carefully burnished. It measures 168 mm in height, 145 mm in diameter at the square rim, 141 mm in diameter at the belly and 82 mm in diameter at the slightly footed, flat, base. The principal shape characteristics are a short, everted neck well separated from a high, almost angular, belly. The decoration has largely been executed using a toothcomb, and occupies three broad zones on the neck, belly, and foot. The most striking motif is on the belly, which is covered by a zone of negative lozenges. Traces of possible white infilling remain in some of the comb impressions. Within the contents of the beaker was found a small shard of lead glass. Its age and origins are unknown and it is not clear if the sample was contaminated. Period Notes 2402-2145 cal BC (calibrated through OxCal 21/08/2012) (V-2246-39) (3819 +/- 27 BP)