Document record MAB56069 - GOVAL FARM

A cluster of features, including ditches, a possible hearth and possible postholes, recorded during trial trenching by Headland Archaeology in 2013 ahead of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (see also NJ81SE0076).

A cluster of features, including ditches, a possible hearth and possible postholes, recorded during trial trenching by Headland Archaeology in 2013 ahead of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (see also NJ81SE0076). A small round pit in trench NL0509 contained two small abraded sherds of prehistoric pottery and may have been a posthole. Two small circular pits to the east are also possible postholes. To the west a northeast to southwest linear ditch contained abundant charcoal, and on its west side was a small pit which yielded charred grain and a flint tool, and this feature has been interpreted as a hearth. Towards the northwest end of trench NL0509 were two cut features, possibly originally part of the same feature. To the north, Trench NL0509N contained a number of probably related features, including a ditch which contained charcoal inclusions and lithic chips indicative of prehistoric activity, a pit which contained fragments of nutshell. Further excavation was carried out by Headland Archaeology in 2014. A total of 80 cut features and four spreads of archaeological interest were recorded. These included two roundhouses and two possible metalworking furnaces of prehistoric date, and rig and furrow and several rectilinear features of medieval/post-medieval date. Four pits containing Neolithic material were recorded, including one containing a substantial quantity of modified Carinated Bowl dated topologically to the Early-Middle Neolithic. Two, in the southeastern part of the excavated area contained large quantities of prehistoric pottery as well as charcoal, hazel nutshell and lithic debitage. The pottery includes large parts of five Impressed Ware vessels (middle to later Neolithic, residue from one vessel giving a date of 3510-3350 BC) and fragments of coarseware. Roundhouse A, near the edge of the site, comprised 23 postholes, a hearth, curvilinear gully and two pits, the structure dated to the Middle Bronze Age. There is evidence for structural maintenance indicating a prolonged period of use. A second roundhouse (B) at the southern end of the site, comprised 28 postholes arranged around a central hearth, two areas of stone paving, and nearby pits, and was radiocarbon dated to the Iron Age (mid 1st - early 3rd century AD). To the north of this roundhouse was a metalworking furnace, comprising a sub-oval pit, the fill rich with iron slag, iron working residues, daub and charcoal. It was dated to the middle Iron Age, and was probably an iron smelting furnace. In the area between the furnace and roundhouse B was a kiln, consisting of three intercutting shallow sub-oval pits on a north-south axis. The central pits showed evidence of in situ burning and contained possible metalworking waste, the outer pits containing fragments of daub. All three pits contained charcoal, iron slag and significant quantities of hulled barley, a cereal that predominates in the Iron Age. A sample from the central pit gave a date of 240-390 AD, later than the other Middle Iron Age remains on the site. The prehistoric pottery recovered (111 sherds and 70 fragments) by the excavation includes pieces of nine vessels, of which only two represent Bronze Age or Iron Age activity. A total of 50 pieces of flint were recovered, the greatest concentration from the pits containing Neolithic pottery. Six cores (from topsoil stripping and features) are of types commonly seen in the Mesolithic and Neolithic, suggesting some possible Mesolithic activity in the area. Further excavation was carried out by Headland Archaeology in November 2015 around the previous excavation area. This recorded additional post-holes and a series of plough furrows.

Period Notes
Radiocarbon dates: SUERC-68133, pit, calibrated to 3510-3350 BC; SUERC-57929, roundhouse A, calibrated to 1390-1220 BC; SUERC-68130, roundhouse B, calibrated to 60-220 AD; SUERC-68131, roundhouse B, calibrated to 50-220 AD; SUERC-57928,roundhouse B hearth, calibrated to 20-210 AD; SUERC-57930, furnace, calibrated to 10-130 AD; SUERC-68132, kiln, calibrated to 240-390 AD.

HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY, 2014, ABERDEEN WESTERN PERIPHERAL ROUTE/BALMEDIE-TIPPERTY LOT 2 - NORTHERN LEG: REPORT -TRIAL TRENCHING AND SAMPLE EXCAV. (VOLS 1-3), V1, p.32; V2 Ill 22a (Bibliographic reference). SAB4452.

HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY, 2015, AWPR/BALMEDIE-TIPPERTY LOT 2 NORTHERN LEG POST-EXCAVATION AND MITIGATION EXCAVATION ASSESSMENT REPORT (Bibliographic reference). SAB5841.

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

Jul 19 2024 12:14PM