EAB4070 - Excavation 2015 - KIRKTOWN OF FETTERESSO

The bases of two pits were excavated during the evaluation (and a further 23 features were identified during the watching brief and subsequently excavated. Pits, post-holes and possible hearths possibly represent at least three structures as well as several outlying features which may be the remains of structures. Burnt bone was recovered from five features and analysis will determine if this is burnt mammal bone or cremated human bone. There appears to be several phases of activity including rig and furrow and associated pit 23 which date to the medieval period or later. Radiocarbon dating and analysis of the pottery and flints recovered from the excavation will help in the dating and interpretation of these features. Samples taken in 2015 excavation for radiocarbon dating. Twenty-four samples contained charred material suitable for dating. Cereal remains were present in 16 samples.Both hulled (Hordeum vulgare) and naked barley (Hordeum vulgare var. nudum) were identified in the samples together with a small number of oat grains (Avena sp.). Naked barley was the most commonly identified grain, present in 11 samples. Generally, the cereal was well-preserved and relatively unabraded., however in some the grains were heavily abraded and broken, or puffed and highly vesicular. This is likely to have been caused by combustion at high temperatures. Heavily fragmented hazel (Corylus avellana) nutshell fragments were recovered from eighteen samples. A small number of weed seeds were present in the assemblage. The weed seeds included brome grass (Bromus sp.), common hemp nettle (Galeopsis tetrahit), knotweed (Polygonum sp.), fat hen (Chenopodium sp.), chickweed (Stellaria media) and small grass seeds. These weed taxa are all species common in arable fields and disturbed ground. Brome grass is a regular weed of cereal crops. Director: Cameron Archaeology Auspices: DEV