Building record MAB13645 - CLEAN POOL

Remains of a cairn, uncovered during forestry mounding operations for tree planting.

Remains of a cairn, uncovered during forestry mounding operations for tree planting. This revealed traces of stone features and a possible crossing place over a boggy area were noticed. Subsequent clearing of part of one area indicated a circular structure with a diameter of circa 16m. Resistivity survey was undertaken by members of OFARS in 2007, and excavation of the cairn was carried out by the Strathbogie Archaeological Group over three seasons. Further concentrations of stones to the south of the cairn suggested possible settlement activity, although this is not yet confirmed. Finds from the turf layer over the cairn comprised a flint barbed and tanged arrowhead, a thumbnail scraper and two sherds of prehistoric pottery were also recovered. The cairn had been capped on the top with a later of smallish stones giving an almost ‘cobbled’ effect. Construction of the cairn appears to have been at the end of a long period of activity on the site. Early features below the cairn included scouring of a core area with possible use of material to create a platform downslope. This was followed by activity which results in an area of burning, the next phase comprising enclosure of the area that was to become the cairn. A subsequent phase saw a further internal, circular enclosure formed by a dense concentration of stones forming an eastern arc and a western arc formed by five (or possibly six) small 'orthostats'. The layer of stones which subsequently was used as the 'kerb' of the cairn appears to have been put in place at this time and the eastern entrance blocked, possibly including the siting of a further small, standing 'orthostat'. In the centre was a deposit which survived as a burnt concentration on top of a small, surviving piece of wood. All elements had been set on a small, flat stone. It seems that the monument was then abandoned for some time. It was only after this period of abandonment that the enclosure was infilled with a mixture of dumped stones and mixed soils to form the body of the cairn. This was then capped with a very neat layer of small 'cobbles' with a large boulder set within, but sitting proud of, them in the centre of the mound. A subsequent, secondary, deposition, is suggested by an earth-filled cavity beneath an area of 'patching' in the cobbled surface just south-west of the centre of the cairn.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2008, DISCOVERY & EXCAVATION SCOTLAND, p.12 (C Shepherd) (Bibliographic reference). SAB4029.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2008, DISCOVERY & EXCAVATION SCOTLAND, p.23-5 (C Shepherd) (Bibliographic reference). SAB4029.

STRATHBOGIE ARCHAEOLOGY GROUP
, C, 2008, EXCAVATIONS AT CLEAN POOL, BIN FOREST, HUNTLY 2005-7
, REPORT (Bibliographic reference). SAB4740.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2009, DISCOVERY & EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, VOL 9, 2008, p.22 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3496.

STRATHBOGIE ARCHAEOLOGY GROUP, 2009, EXCAVATIONS AT CLEAN POOL, BIN FOREST, ABEERDEENSHIRE 2008-9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4869.

Jul 13 2005 , GR/05/CT176-9, GR/05/CT176-9 (Ground Photograph). SAB18397.

Record last edited

Dec 4 2023 11:24AM