Document record MAB55805 - MARYCULTER BRIDGE

Pits recorded during trial trenching by Headland Archaeology in 2013 ahead of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Pits recorded during trial trenching by Headland Archaeology in 2013 ahead of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. Features were recorded in three trenches in the area adjacent to the River Dee to the southeast of Maryculter Bridge. A total of 90 lithics were recovered from a crescent shaped pit in Trench SL0368, the fill also containing fragments of charcoal and nutshell. Some of the lithics had indications of dual platform technology and are suggested to be Mesolithic in date. Samples from a circular pit in the same Trench contained fragments of charcoal and possible slag material. A sub-circular pit in Trench SL0368A contained large amounts of charcoal and possible slag deposits. The group of features lie around 13m above sea level, some 50m back from the water. The presence of debitage and broken blade fragments may indicate opportunistic small-scale tool production and the ecofactual remains support some form of temporary localised activity. Further excavation was carried out by Headland Archaeology in 2014 (site SL/001). At the far east of the site were two small pits, one of which contained heat-affected stones. In the northwest area of the site was a small cluster of features, including a number of pits although their function is unclear. In the southwest was a kiln, cut by a pit which produced a piece of 19th century pottery. Only one lithic was recovered during the excavations. Further mitigation excavation was carried out by Headland Archaeology in October - November 2015 across four areas including compound area and haul road. Two features were recorded, a small pit with evidence of burning and containing a small unworked chert flake, and a linear cut probably of 19th-20th century date.

Period Notes
Radiocarbon date: GU36506 - kiln - 391-537 AD

HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY, 2014, ABERDEEN WESTERN PERIPHERAL ROUTE LOT 3 - SOUTHERN LEG: ASSESSMENT REPORT ON TRIAL TRENCHING AND SAMPLE EXCAVATIONS., V1, 29-30; V2 Ill 14 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4451.

HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY, 2015, AWPR/BALMEDIE-TIPPERTY LOT 3 - SOUTHERN LEG: SL/001 AND SL/002A-D: POST-EX ASSESSMENT AND MITIGATION EXCAVATION REPORT (Bibliographic reference). SAB5831.

ARCAHEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2015, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND. NEW SERIES, VOLUME 15, 2014, p.13 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5542.

HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY, 2017, AWPR: CONSTRUCTION PHASE AREAS - RESULTS OF ARCH MONITORING AND MITIGATION DURING POST-EX ASSESSMENT AND ASSESSMENT REPT (Bibliographic reference). SAB5858.

DINGWALL, K, 2019, THE LAND WAS FOREVER: 15,000 YEARS IN NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND. EXCAVATIONS ON THE AWPR/BALMEDIE-TIPPERTY (Bibliographic reference). SAB4064.

Record last edited

Nov 25 2024 3:51PM