Cropmark record MAB65476 - IRONSHILL

Cropmarks of a circular enclosure recorded by the RCAHMS in 1976 and 1978 during aerial reconnaissance.

Cropmarks of a circular enclosure recorded by the RCAHMS in 1976 and 1978 during aerial reconnaissance. It measures about 45 m in diameter. A double ring of post-holes is visible, at the centre of the enclosure and a line of pits are shown on the aerial photographs. Other features including a ring-ditch are also visible. In September 1998 CFA and Edinburgh University's Angus and South Aberdeenshire Field School excavated part of the site. All features were found to have been truncated by agricultural activity. The enclosure has an average diameter of circa 55 m. In the excavated portion, it was defined by a palisade trench 0.4-0.6 m wide by 0.9 m deep. Packing stones were present intermittently around the circumference. Post-pipes were visible where packing stones remained. A narrow entrance (2.5 m wide) was identified on the southeast side of the enclosure. Packing stones survived in both termini, in which post-pipes approximately 0.7 m in diameter were visible. From aerial photographic evidence, two additional possible entrances (at the northwest and southwest) are visible in the unexcavated portion of the enclosure. Running along the inside of the palisade slot was an intermittent line of shallow pits/post-holes. A circular post-built structure, with a maximum diameter of circa18 m, lay almost central to the enclosure. Most of this monument lies in the unexcavated side of the enclosure. Here, the cropmark showed two concentric rings of large post-holes with one central post. Within the excavated area, only the outer ring of large, weight-bearing post-holes, and a single post-hole from the inner ring, were encountered. The post-holes were an average of 0.8 m in depth and diameter, and were filled almost entirely with stone packing. A post-pipe approximately 0.7 m in diameter was clearly visible within the inner ring post-hole. Two groups of features apparently relating to this main structure were situated between the two main post-hole rings. These were a narrow ring-groove, and just inside this an intermittent ring of very small pits/post-holes. A shallow oval pit was found within the main structure, its fill consisting of pottery fragments. An irregularly spaced ng of small, shallow pits/post-holes lay concentrically to and outwith the main post-rings. These features may represent an outer wall, in which case the extrapolated maximum diameter of the monument would be circa 25 m. On a line with this possible outer ring were two pits over 2 m in diameter and 1 m deep. These had apparently been reused several times. Both had been partially infilled with a fairly homogenous fill, then lined with fire-cracked stones. The fills overlying this lining were charcoal-rich and included fragments of burnt bone in both cases. The southernmost pit had a lens of burnt grain, probably barley, among its upper fills. Fifteen additional features lay within the enclosure and clearly outwith the main structure. Several features were identified outwith the enclosure in the main trench. Immediately to the south and southeast of the site lay three ring-groove features. A similar feature lay to the southwest of the enclosure, consisting of two roughly concentric shallow grooves. Some fragments of pottery were found in these features which are similar to those found in the central structure. These features were associated with shallow, charcoal-rich pit/post-holes. A trench excavated to the northeast of the main trench revealed a small part of a souterrain, a portion of a ring-groove cut by a post-hole, and several additional post-holes. No internal features were identified. A complete 1st to 2nd-century AD trumpet brooch was recovered from the homogenous upper fill.

Period Notes
AA-46477 Birch charcoal from substantial quantity of wooden debris in pit within the palisaded enclosure. BP 1865 +/-60, d13C -25.3 - calibrated to 221-335 AD at 2 sigma (OxCal 4.4 run 22/06/23). AA-46478 Hazel charcoal, same context as AA-46477, BP 1835 +/-50, d13C -28.0, calibrated to 77-346 AD at 2 sigma (OxCal 4.4 run 22/06/23) AA-47768 Organic residue (cooking or preparation of organic materials) from pot placed in pit within central structure, BP 2195 +/-45, d13C-24.0 - calibrated to 387-112 BC at 2 sigma (OxCal 4.4 run 22/06/23). AA-47769 Organic residue, as AA-47768, BP 2220 +/-60, d13C -24.2, calibrated to 398-109 BC at 2 sigma (OxCal 4.4 run 22/06/23).

AN/2898-2900 (1976), AN/2898-2900 (1976) (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB27541.

AN/3531-2 (1978), AN/3531-2 (1978) (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB27542.

RCAHMS, 1978, [Untitled], 24, No.182 (Bibliographic reference). SAB7773.

McGill, C, 1998, Ironshill East Excav: Data Structure rep 443, Report No 443 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1264.

ARMIT, I, 2000, THE ABANDONMENT OF SOUTERAINS: EVOLUTION, CATASTROPHE OR DISLOCATION? IN PSAS 129 (1999), 577-596 (Bibliographic reference). SAB8747.

Record last edited

Apr 9 2026 12:12PM