Document record MAB50690 - HAUGH OF DANDALEITH

A programme of archaeological investigation was carried out in 2014 following discovery of a Pictish stone in 2013 (NJ24NE0097).

A programme of archaeological investigation was carried out in 2014 following discovery of a Pictish stone in 2013 (NJ24NE0097). Fieldwalking provided ineffective given the ground conditions, particularly large quantities of cereal husk obscuring the ground surface. Metal detecting recorded unusually sparse finds: five post-medieval objects (buckle, pin, cup weight, three coins, musket trigger guard) and six copper-alloy objects of indeterminate age (brooch pin, rivet, possible head of boat nail, and two indeterminate). The coins comprised a James VI post-union twopence (1614 issue), a Charles I or II turner (1642-50 or 1663-9) (and a more corroded illegible coin of probable 17 century date. Gradiometer survey carried out by University of Aberdeen in October 2014 did not locate and associated features, although it did identify two linear anomalies possibly indicating former field boundaries or an old road. The trial trenching undertaken by Anderson Archaeology in November 2014 revealed possible archaeological features in Trench F comprising evidence of a structure in the form of a succession of dished scoops and with an off-centre hearth. At the east end of the structure was a parallel line of stakeholes. Several metal artefacts were also recovered, with fragments of slag and a possible crucible fragment, all suggesting some possibility of metal working on or near the site. Two possibly worked quartz flakes were recovered from the lower ploughsoil. A whetstone from the southeast corner of the structure is not closely dateable. Samples for radiocarbon dating have yielded dates of 664-866 AD. A total of five fragments of pottery were recovered from the lower ploughsoil and fieldwalking; they are not closely datable but thought to be likely of post-medieval date

Period Notes
Radiocarbon dates: SUERC-65175 (GU39757) charcoal, 1265+/-28 BP, calibrated to 667-866 AD at 2 sigma: SUERC-65176 (GU39758) charcoal, 1270+/-30, calibrated to 664-827 AD at 2 sigma. Beta-405715, 1250+/-30 BP, calibrated to 675-870 AD: Beta-406640 1310+/-30 BP, calibrated to 655-770 AD at 2 sigma

UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN, 2014, GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY AT THE DANDALEITH, SPEY VALLEY, MORAYSHIRE (Bibliographic reference). SAB4897.

HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY, 2015, DANDALEITH PICTISH STONE CRAIGELLACHIE FINDS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (Bibliographic reference). SAB5976.

ANDERSON ARCHAEOLOGY , 2015, DANDALEITH, CRAIGELLACHIE, MORAY; ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS INTERIM REPORT (Bibliographic reference). SAB8738.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 2:15PM