Document record MAB55875 - GAIRN

Trial trenching carried out by Headland Archaeology in 2013 (following on from earlier geophysical survey (NJ80NE0555) ahead of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route) recorded a cluster of features in this area.

Trial trenching carried out by Headland Archaeology in 2013 (following on from earlier geophysical survey (NJ80NE0555) ahead of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route) recorded a cluster of features in this area. Trench SL0623 contained two circular pits, a curvilinear feature and a post-hole thought to represent the remains of a prehistoric roundhouse in the form of a ring ditch. Fragments of modern material in the fills of these features were thought to be intrusive. At the west end of the trench was another linear feature, identified as a furrow on a southwest to northeast alignment. Further excavation carried out by Headland Archaeology in 2014 recorded six roundhouses dated to the Late Bronze Age in this area (site SL/004D), an isolated one (Gairnhill 6) in the southern part of this area providing the earliest radiocarbon date, the others (Gairnhill 1-5) clustered in the northern part of the excavated area. The majority of the roundhouses were defined by post-rings and had southeast facing entrances. Four had ring-ditches, and in-situ burnt timbers were present in the ring-ditches of three of the buildings. A possible four-post structure was also associated with the main group. A small pit east of the entrance to Gairnhill 5 contained the truncated remains of an urn. A single pit, southwest of Gairnhill 3 produced a large number of oats suggesting an Iron Age or later date. Internal features of Gairnhill 6 comprised a hearth and stakehole, charcoal from the hearth dated to 1370-1120 BC. Gairnhill 1-5 gave radiocarbon dates ranging from 1110 to 830 BC. Pottery from the excavation was of Middle or Later Bronze Age date with the exception of a single Early Neolithic sherd. Finds from Gairnhill 3 and 5 included two saddle querns, two polishers and a pounder/hammerstone, and a probable bone pin. Worked lithics totalled 20 pieces of flint, earlier in date than the structures. Monitoring of topsoil stripping in the fields to the north and south was carried out by Headland Archaeology in 2015, but the only features related to post-medieval to early modern agricultural activity.

Period Notes
Radiocarbon dates: Gairnhill 6: SUERC-68141, posthole, calibrated to 1120-940 BC; SUERC-58035, hearth, calibrated to 1370-1120 BC. Garinhill 1: SUERC-68134, ring groove, calibrated to 1110-930 BC; SUERC-58030, hearth, calibrated to 1110-930 BC. Gairnhill 2: SUERC-68135, posthole, calibrated to 1010-850 BC; SUERC-58031, ditch, calibrated to 1120-930 BC. Gairnhill 3: SUERC-58033, ring ditch, calibrated to 1110-930 BC; SUERC-58036, calibrated to 1190-940 BC. Gairnhill 4: SUERC-58034, posthole, calibrated to 990-840 BC; SUERC-68136, ring groove, calibrated to 1100-920 BC. Gairnhill 5: SUERC-68140, ring groove, calibrated to 970-840 BC; SUERC-58032, calibrated to 1050-900 BC; SUERC-68142, pit with urn, calibrated to 970-830 BC.

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

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

HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY, 2015, INVASIVE ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE AWPR/BALMEDIE-TIPPERTY LOT 3 - SOUTHERN LEG: SITES SL/003 - SL/005 ABERDEENSHIRE (Bibliographic reference). SAB5872.

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

Mar 17 2026 2:44PM