Final Report of Archaeological Evaluations & Excavations at Rhicullen Quarry, Invergordon, Highland. NH 700 / 720 (centred) Client: W Munro Construction (Highland) Ltd. Planning Application No: 04/00501/FULRC. By Stuart Farrell B.A A.I.F.A F.S.A.Scot. December 2005 Stuart Farrell Excavations at Rhicullen Contents 1. Introduction 2. Acknowledgements 3. Background 4. Objectives 5. Method 6. Results 7. Conclusions 8. Recommendations 9. Archive 10. Discovery and Excavation 11. References Appendix 1 – Samples Register Appendix 2 – Photographic Register Appendix 3 – Context Register Appendix 4 – Samples Report by Headland Archaeology Ltd Appendix 5 – AMS dating data sheets Stuart Farrell Excavations at Rhicullen Non-Technical Summary Stuart Farrell was commissioned by W Munro Construction (Highland) Ltd in April 2005 to undertake an archaeological evaluation at Rhicullen Quarry, by Invergordon (centred at NH 700/720) as part of a proposed quarry development. Highland Council Archaeology Unit produced a specification for this work. This work also follows on an earlier archaeological evaluation conducted by the author in 2003. Work revealed a number of upstanding features comprising of clearance cairns, banks and a possible structure, archaeological evaluation and excavation work revealed them all to be of a 19th-20th century date. A programme of trial trenching and subsequent area excavation revealed a round house with a 2nd century BC Iron-Age date, also found was a possible associated oven. No further fieldwork has been recommended and no further post-excavation work is required. Stuart Farrell Excavations at Rhicullen 1. Introduction Stuart Farrell was commissioned by W Munro Construction (Highland) Ltd in April 2005 to undertake an archaeological evaluation at Rhicullen Quarry, by Invergordon (centred at NH 700/720) as part of a proposed quarry development. Highland Council Archaeology Unit produced a specification for this work. This work is to form part of the conditions for planning application 04/00501/FULRC and to follow on recommendations made in previous archaeological survey work. The site is located to the northeast of the village of Rhicullen. The fieldwork was conducted between May 16th and the 3rd of June 2005. 2. Acknowledgements I would like to thank the following for their help during the work: - Mr. W Munro, of Munro Construction (Highland) Ltd; - Mr. K Cooper, Mr. S Buchanan & Mr. S Miles for onsite help; - Staff of J Hepburn-Wright Cartographic Services Ltd for site survey work; - Staff of Munro Construction (Highland) Ltd for onsite works; - Ms H White of Highland Council Archaeology Unit; - Staff of the RCAHMS; - Staff of the NMRS; - Staff of Highland Council Archives; - Dr. G Cook of SUERRC; - Dr. T Holden of Headland Archaeology Ltd for samples analysis; - Mrs S Stevenson, for illustrations. Stuart Farrell 39a Park Street Nairn Highland IV12 4PP Stuart Farrell Excavations at Rhicullen Figure 1 - General Location 1:25,000 Copyright Ordnance Survey. Licence 100041016. Stuart Farrell Excavations at Rhicullen 3. Historical Background The development area had previously been partly surveyed as part of an earlier evaluation (Farrell, 2003) that noted one site (feature 4) as a possible unroofed building which is depicted only on the Ordnance Survey map of 1977, 2 other features (No.s 7 & 8) had been also noted as possible burial cairns due to them lying atop a natural ridge. This previous study included a desktop and walkover survey. For the additional areas of archaeological evaluation nothing is marked on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map of 1880 or on the 2nd edition of 1907. Again by the later edition of 1977 nothing is depicted. A study of aerial photographs held in the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Edinburgh revealed coverage from 1946 to 1977 but only showing the development area to be comprised of woodlands and rough grazing. 4. Objectives To conduct an archaeological evaluation on any features previously noted and any new features and to conduct trial trenching to those areas not covered by works conducted by the author in 2003. A copy of the specification provided by Highland Council Archaeology Unit is enclosed. This work is to include the following: - Desk based survey - Evaluation - Excavation, where required - Report on results 5. Methodology Trenches by back-acting machine were made to the additional area of the proposed quarry, with hand dug testing conducted to the features noted in the walkover survey (Farrell 2003). A monitoring was made of the removal of topsoil and subsoil’s to a maximum depth of 250mm for the trenches to an area of 635.2m². All trenches were excavated with a straight edged bucket (all 1.4m wide) with possible archaeological features being cleaned by hand. Trenches were surveyed using a GPS system using a total station. As features were found in one trench (No. 2) an area excavation was conducted with procedures following those guidelines as proposed by the Institute of Field Archaeologists. A back-acting machine under direct archaeological supervision initially cleared the area of excavation with the area being extended until no other archaeological features were visible. Weather on the days of work (May 16th – June 3rd 2005) was mixed with sunny periods and wintry showers. Stuart Farrell Excavations at Rhicullen 6. Results The evaluation and excavation was carried out in accordance with accepted professional archaeological standards as published by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (IFA 1999). During the works a suitably qualified archaeologist was on site to carry out observations and assessment of the area affected by the excavation works. Site Location The site lies to the north of the town of Invergordon and slightly northeast of the village of Rhicullen on a slight south facing flat ridge, with ground cover of a mixture of rough grazing, gorse and natural woodland. Results Trial trenching results were as follows: 1 – Aligned NW-SE – 35.5m in length - No features or deposits revealed. 2 – Aligned NW-SE – 31m in length – A number of single-cut features were revealed, which led to an open area of excavation 11.5m by 15m (Total area 172.5m²). Excavation revealed a series of post-holes (some being double), a kiln and three pits. A number of post-holes were cut or lost by 2 later field drains [contexts 33 & 45] of unknown date though likely to be modern in date or related to agricultural improvement (see figure 3). The kiln [context 39] was round in plan being stone lined with a flat stone base and a small flue [context 37]. A number of the post-holes had evidence for being burnt insitu or having stone packing. The layout of the post-holes suggest a roundhouse though with a possible secondary use at a slightly later date, especially in relation to the pits, which likely did not belong in the house, no hearth was located in the house. Finds Very limited finds were made to features excavated that would be able to spot-date the site; the only finds made were a few very small pieces of burnt bone [contexts 50 & 67], a fragment of burnt flint [context 16], and one very small piece of well-worn orange-red ware pottery [context 4 - the latter coming from the top part of a fill of a post-hole that had seen some disturbance] and a possible fragment of an iron nail [context 8]. No finds were made to the pits or the kiln. All the finds were too small for detailed post-excavation identification. Samples All secure contexts were sampled and processed by Headland Archaeology Ltd for environmental analysis (for full report see Appendix 4). An additional amount of burnt bone was noted to most of the fills sampled but none of the fragments found were big enough for identification. Grain was sparse to most contexts but the fills of 2 post-holes [55 & 75] contained a larger number of grains, with the suggestion of the area being used for the processing of grain. Only limited grains were found in the pits. Dating As there was a lack of finds made during the excavation a total of 9 samples were taken for radiocarbon dating (for full report see Appendix 5), the reason for this was because during initial onsite works it was thought that the site may have been later in date than was proved due to the find of the piece of a small piece of well-worn orange-red ware pottery and the fragment of a possible iron nail. The initial thought was of an early medieval date. Dating however proved that that the building dated from the mid 3rd to 2nd century BC, giving an Iron Age date. The dating of the fill of the kiln [context 42] gave a slightly later date suggesting that the site had seen 2 phases of use, this with the dating of 2 post-holes [contexts 71 & 73] which were again later than the number of post-holes sampled and close to the dating of the kiln. Stuart Farrell Excavations at Rhicullen Discussion Currently it may be possible that the series of post-holes form a roundhouse (see figure 4) with a possible later phase of use, possibly within a generation, with a kiln situated to the NE associated with a number of post-holes and the group of pits. No hearth was found in the roundhouse and the layout of the central postholes in relation to the kiln may have been the result of a series of wind-breaks to provide shelter for the kiln. Below: View of site upon excavation facing SSW – scales 2m. Kiln is immediately in the foreground. Below: View of kiln upon ½ section facing NW – scales 1m. Over: View of kiln upon excavation facing N – scale 0.5m.