Cropmark record MAB65289 - BALNEAVES COTTAGES

Cropmarks of a pennanular ring-ditch with internal features recorded by CUCAP (date not held at NMRS), and by the RCAHMS in 1976 during aerial reconnaissance.

Cropmarks of a pennanular ring-ditch with internal features recorded by CUCAP (date not held at NMRS), and by the RCAHMS in 1976 during aerial reconnaissance. The area enclosed by the broad ditch measures about 8 m in diameter and contains what appear to be four pits disposed as a square. Excavation in 1988, in advance of gravel extraction, revealed that the site was an enclosed cremation cemetery dating from the Bronze Age. The site lies in the corner of the field immediately northeast of Balneaves Cottage. The trench, 15 m east-west and 20 m north-south resulted in the total excavation of the feature. The ditch was shallow, only 20-50 cm surviving below the subsoil and 1.70 m at its widest point. The opening was 2.5 m wide at the northeast. Two distinct fills were noted. Sixteen pits were discovered in the interior, in two groups (closely grouped but not overlapping) which contained two pits each with an inverted urn cremation burial (one also containing a fusiform [barrel-shaped] jet bead and some burnt flints), burial pits without urn and miscellaneous features. The most distinctive of the latter was a pit at the west, a roughly rectangular pit (2 x 1.5 x 1.3 m deep) which cut into the ditch and contained a large broken stone (circa 1 x 1.5 m, probably a glacial erratic of mica schist) and some post-medieval pottery. Apart from this pit all of the others respected the line of the ditch. One of the miscellaneous pits, cut the urn burial pit which had the flints and jet bead, this pit contained a flint and three sherds of pottery, probably redeposited, the remainder of the pits contained stones within their fills. One of the burials without an urn may have been contained within an organic container. The cremations were of adults, two males and three females, and one where it was not possible to sex the remains. Some of the bones showing contact with bronze items and other grave goods. The urns are all collared urns, two of which are decorated. Radiocarbon dates were obtained from samples of oak charcoal. Botanical analysis of the site revealed little cultivated species and no traces of a possible 'floral tribute' of Meadowsweet (flilipendula) as has been recorded at other sites. The site is interpreted as a single phase cremation cemetery dating to circa 1800 BC, with the pit containing the stone being a later intrusion, however this may have been burial of a standing stone which may have been part of the monument.

Period Notes
C14 dates: (all samples were oak) GU-2443 (Ditch N) 3460+/-60 uncal bp (1 sigma 1690-1855 BC, 2 sigma 1665-1955 BC) (1940 - 1620 cal BC); GU-2444 (Pit 12) 6980+/-90 (which equals 6025 BC - 5708 BC at 2 sigma); GU-2445 (Ditch W) 3540+/-50 uncal bp (1 sigma 1785-1940 BC, 2 sigma 1760-2035 BC) (2030 - 1740 cal BC); GU-2446 (Pit 3) 3430+/-70 uncal bp (1 sigma 1675-1850 BC, 2 sigma 1550-1930 BC) (1920 - 1520 cal BC); GU-2447 (Ditch E) 3380+/-100 uncal bp (1 sigma 1520-1770 BC, 2 sigma 1455-1935 BC) (1920 - 1440 cal BC); GU-2448 (Pit 7) 3370+/-50 uncal bp (1 sigma 1630-1745 BC, 2 sigma 1530-1850 BC) (1860 - 1520 cal BC).

AN/2825 (1976), AN/2825 (1976) (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB22255.

AN/3249-53 (1977), AN/3249-53 (1977) (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB23272.

AN/3703/PO, AN/3703/PO (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB22256.

AN/3704/PO, AN/3704/PO (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB22257.

AN/5150/PO, AN/5150/PO (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB22258.

AN/5513-4 (1982), AN/5513-4 (1982) (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB22259.

D 48940-8, D 48940-8 (Ground Photograph). SAB22437.

D 50005-9 (1988), D 50005-9 (1988) (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB22265.

D 56010-4 (1988), D 56010-4 (1988) (Ground Photograph). SAB22267.

E 81408-98 (1988), E 81408-98 (1988) (Ground Photograph). SAB22266.

RCAHMS, 1978, [Untitled], 20, No.131 (Bibliographic reference). SAB7736.

Russell-White, C {J}, 1988, [Untitled] (Bibliographic reference). SAB11262.

Russell-White, C J, 1988, Discovery and Excavation, Scotland (Bibliographic reference). SAB11263.

Russell-White, Lowe and McCullagh, C J, C E, 1992, Excavations at Three Early Bronze Age Burial…, 289-301 (Bibliographic reference). SAB10992.

AOC, 2002, BALNEAVES TO DOUGLASMUIR EXCAVATION-PROJECT DESIGN (Bibliographic reference). SAB2212.

PROJECT DESIGN

CARRUTHERS, G, 2002, DataStructure Report:B965 Balneaves to Douglasmuir, REPORT (Bibliographic reference). SAB3895.

EVALUATION

Record last edited

Mar 21 2025 12:44PM