Document record MAB55872 - ABERDEEN WESTERN PERIPHERAL ROUTE

Trial trenching carried out by Headland Archaeology in 2013 following earlier geophysical survey (NJ80SE0565) ahead of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route recorded a concentration of archaeological features in this area.

Trial trenching carried out by Headland Archaeology in 2013 following earlier geophysical survey (NJ80SE0565) ahead of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route recorded a concentration of archaeological features in this area. These comprised a circular pit in trench SL0418, two sub-oval pits in trench SL0419, all containing charcoal, and one of containing a chip of flint, a small pit in trench SL0424, a sub-rectangular pit in trench SL0423 which produced glass fragments, sherds of redware pottery, clay pipe and an iron nail. These features are all thought to be post-medieval in date. Further excavation was carried out by Headland Archaeology in 2014. A total of 190 features were recorded, concentrated at the foot of the steep rise on the edge of the river terrace overlooking the floodplain. Of Mesolithic date was a patchy lithics scatter across much of the southwestern part of the site, with 30 large pits mainly to the northwest of the scatter, and a small number of hearths, pits and postholes that likely pre- or post-date the scatter. Over 11,000 lithics were recovered, the majority dating to the Mesolithic, and mostly debitage but including cores and tools. Almost all were of flint, with a small number of quartz flakes/chips. Mesolithic artefacts include cores, flakes, microblades, microburins, blades, scrapers. These all point to a domestic or settlement site, although the function of the large pits is unclear. Two areas within the lithic scatter includes a small assemblage of lithic material that is thought to be of Late Upper Palaeolithic date, between 13,000 and 11,000 BC, and include large blades from opposed-platform cores, crested blades, rejuvenated flakes and a small number of blades and scrapers. The Early Neolithic is represented by a structure in the east of the site, a series of parallel post alignments, a number of hearths and pits. The lithic scatter also includes some pieces of Neolithic date, and carinated bowl fragments were found in several recut Mesolithic pits. A phase of Early Neolithic activity is represented by a concentration of hearths, partial remains of a structure, pits and postholes towards the southwestern part of the site. A spread of Middle to Later Neolithic features was also recorded, including a pits (one of which produced Impressed Ware pottery sherds) and possible hearths. Later features included post-medieval furrows, a small rectilinear enclosure and a small number of pits. A pit dated to 360-110 cal BC contained fragments of saddle quern, fragments of undiagnostic pottery and lithic debitage. Finds recovered from the excavation included three sherds of beaker, a complete beaker and two iron objects. Subsequently, monitoring of topsoil stripping was carried out by Headland Archaeology in 2015, to east, south and west of the 2014 excavation area. the majority of features recorded were to the southwest, although a scatter also lay to the northeast. Features included six large pits stylistically dated to the Mesolithic, several smaller Mesolithic pits which contained struck flints, two pits containing fragments of Middle Neolithic pottery, a short length of presumed prehistoric ditch and a series of post medieval field boundaries.

Period Notes
Radiocarbon dating (all calibrated to 2 sigma): SUERC-58021 (GU36362) pit fill 2D-1035, 8054+/-30 BP, 7081-6830 cal BC; SUERC-54051 (GU34862) pit fill 2D-0008, 7963 +/-27 BP, 7041-6708 cal BC; SUERC-58189 (GU36508) fill of hearth 2D01716, 6843+/-31 BP, 5792-5661 cal BC; SUERC-58617 (GU36365R) pit fill 2D-1467, 5097+/-28 BP, 3966-3800 cal BC; SUERC-58023 (GU36364) pit fill 2D-1467, 5091+/-30 BP, 3964-3800 cal BC; SUERC-58188 (GU36507 ), post-hole fill 2D-1435, 5092+/-29 BP, 3964-3800 cal BC; SUERC-58194 (GU36510), hearth fill 2D-1636, 5081+/-30 BP, 3961-3797 cal BC; SUERC-58193 (GU36509), post-hole fill 2D-1509, 5017+/-29, 3943-3709 cal BC; SUERC-58604 (GU36685) hearth fill 2D-1214, 4633+/-28 BP, 3514-3355 cal BC; SUERC-58605 (GU36686) hearth fill 2D-1235, 4494+/-29 BP, 3345-3094 cal BC; SUERC-68114, floor deposit 2D-1824, 5050+/-29 BP, 3950-3720 cal BC; SUERC-73593 pit fill AMA09-2014, 3664+/-31 BP, 2140-1950 cal BC; SUERC-68103 burnt spread 2D-1613, 3154+/-29 BP, 1500-1320 cal BC; SUERC-68111 pit fill 2D-1576, 2948+/-29 BP, 1260-1050 cal BC; SUERC-74402 pit fill AMA09-2090, 2158+/-29 BP, 360-110 cal BC; SUERC-68112 hearth fill 2D-1259, 5076+/-30 BP, 3960-3800 cal BC; SUERC-68102 hearth fill 2D-1881, 5026 +/-29 BP, 3940-3710 cal BC; SUERC-68120 hearth fill 2D-1408, 5014+/-29 BP, 3940-3710 cal BC; SUERC-58022 pit fill 2D-1149, 4534+/-30 BP, 3360-3100 cal BC; SUERC-61806 fill of pit 2D-1089, 8210-7820 cal BC; SUERC-68096 pit fill 2D-1028, 8620+/-29 BP, 7710-7580 cal BC; SUERC-68110, pit fill 2D-1128, 5737+/-30 BP, 4690-4500 cal BC; SUERC-68100, pit fill 2D-1015, 8313+/-30 BP, 7490-7200 cal BC; SUERC-68095 pit fill 2D-1489, 8142+/-30 BP, 7290-7060 cal BC; SUERC-68101 pit fill 2D-1777, 8897+/-29 BP, 8220-7970 cal BC; SUERC-68113 fill 2D-1102, 6251+/-30 BP, 5310-5080 cal BC; SUERC-73592 fill AMA09-2244, 5280+/-31 BP, 4230-4000 cal BC; SUERC-68104 post-hole fill 2D-1266, 5036+/-29 BP; 3950-3720 cal BC; SUERC-68105 pit fill 2D-1786, 5024+/-29 BP, 3940-3710 cal BC.

HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY, 2014, ABERDEEN WESTERN PERIPHERAL ROUTE LOT 3 - SOUTHERN LEG: ASSESSMENT REPORT ON TRIAL TRENCHING AND SAMPLE EXCAVATIONS., Evaluation report (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, 2015, WRITTEN SCHEME OF INVESTIGATION FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION AT MILLTIMBER (CHAINAGE 103930 104130) , WSI (Bibliographic reference). SAB5836.

HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY, 2015, 2015, WRITTEN SCHEME OF INVESTIGATION FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF, ABERDEEN WESTERN PERIPHERAL ROUTE (Bibliographic reference). SAB5859.

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

Sep 27 2024 12:12PM