Earthwork record MAB43665 - CAIRN MORE

A small circular fort on a slight spur on the northern- western edge of the ridge running west from Bennachie towards Rhynie.

A small circular fort on a slight spur on the northern- western edge of the ridge running west from Bennachie towards Rhynie. It comprises a double-banked sub-oval enclosure measuring at its maximum 64m by 48m. There is an additional external bank and ditch located solely at its south-facing entrance. The inner rampart measures 1.6m wide and 0.4m high, the middle rampart 4.5m wide and 0.3m high and the outer 1.3m wide and 0.2m high. The outer ditch is 0.5m wide and 0.22m deep. The interior is featureless though heavily overgrown with gorse and whin. Part of a bank and ditch can be seen around the slope on the north side. ONB describes it as a large rough cairn. On an aerial photograph, taken in 1978 pre-afforestation, a spread of stones can be see on the nortwest facing slope. Small scale excavation was carried out by M Cook in 2010. Charcoal from a destruction layer above the middle rampart has given a calibrated radiocarbon date of AD 500-630, whilst charcoal from the foundation cut of the outer rampart was dated to AD 410 - 550. Two brooch moulds and a pin mould of likely early medieval date were recovered from this cut. The enclosure was probably constructed and destroyed between AD 410 and AD 630. A trial trenching evaluation was carried out by University of Aberdeen in September - October 2018 to further elucidate the for, character and chronology of the fort. Seven trenches were excavated, three targeted at the inner rampart, exposing the core, a possible wall face and a charcoal spread. . Trench 5, over the inner rampart and possible entrance, uncovered part of the rampart surviving to 3m wide with a tumble of stones extending to the east on the downslope side. A shallow pit or ditch terminal was also uncovered. Trench 6, over the outer rampart, revealed an extensive spread of stones but the core of the rampart could not be clearly identified and there was no definite wall facing. Outside the rampart wall was a shallow pit or truncated post-hole. Slag and a possible gaming piece were recovered from the rampart core. Trench 7 in the interior of the fort recorded the remains of a structure, including a stone-built hearth and stone post-pad as well as an extensive spread of large stones. It was not clear whether this spread was associated with the structure. A large spread of small stones recorded in various sondages may be a possible occupational surface. A flint blade and gaming piece were recovered from Trench 7. Trench 4 did not reveal any archaeological features.

Period Notes
Radiocarbon dates: SUERC-32839 (GU-23037) from Alnus charcoal - 1510 +/- 30 BP (which equals 435 AD - 623 AD at 2 sigma); SUERC-32840 (GU-23038) from Corylus charcoal - 1580 +/- 30 BP (which equals 415 AD - 547 AD at 2 sigma).

ORDNANCE SURVEY, 1871, Ordnance Name Book, No14(1866) 95 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1360.

FEACHEM, RW, 1963, PREHISTORIC SCOTLAND, 105 (Bibliographic reference). SAB503.

ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL, 2010, A LAD O'PAIRTS: A DAY CONFERENCE IN MEMORY OF IAIN SHEPHERD, pp62-65 (Bibliographic reference). SAB8471.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2011, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND. NEW SERIES, VOLUME 11, 2010, p.14 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5535.

COOK, M, 2012, NEW EVIDENCE FOR THE ACTIVITIES OF PICTISH POTENTATES IN ABERDEENSHIRE: THE HILLFORTS OF STRATHDON. , PSAS, 141, 207-229 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5355.

COOK, M, 2013, OPEN OR ENCLOSED: SETTLEMENT PATTERNS AND HILLFORT CONSTRUCTION IN STRATHDON, 1800BC - AD1000 IN PPS 79, PP327-352, PPS, 79, 327-352 (Bibliographic reference). SAB6619.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2019, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, NEW SERIES, VOLUME 19, 2018, p.9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB6524.

Aug 22 1978 , AAS/78/09/R8/11, AAS/78/09/R8/11 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13645.

Aug 22 1978 , AAS/78/9/CT31, AAS/78/9/CT31 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB18791.

Feb 17 2000 , AAS/00/05/CT90-3, AAS/00/05/CT90-3 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB12573.

Oct 3 2010 , GR2852-64, GR2852-64 (Ground Photograph). SAB13505.

Sep 22 2010 , GR2925-9, GR2925-9 (Ground Photograph). SAB13418.

Record last edited

Apr 3 2024 10:55AM