Proc SocAntiq Scot, (1986)6 11 , 205-209, fich : G8-1e4 1 Excavations at Kintore Roman temporary camp, 1984 Alexandr ShepherdaN * with contribution BreezJ BoyD E d eW d an y sb ABSTRACT This paper describes the excavation of a section through the ditch of the Roman temporary camp at Kintore, Gordon District, Grampian ofpossiblea and field interioroventhe in camp. ofthe INTRODUCTION The site of the temporary camp at Kintore (NGR NJ 787 166) was first identified in 1867 (Courtney 1868; Crawford 1949,112-15) and its details refined by aerial photography some hundred years later (St Joseph 1958) (illus la-c). It lies on the western fringes of the town of Kintore in the Don valley, occupying undulating ground betwee Bridgealehouse nth Torrd ean y burns formd an , linsa k chaie inth campf no north-easn si t Scotland, lying betwee largee nth r camp Durnt sa Normand oan - dykes; Dr Breeze has kindly contributed a note on its size, position and possible date which follows this report. north-eastere Th n camsectoe th particulaf n pi ro bees rha n monitore somr dfo e tim covert i s ea s an area subject to extensive housing development; in response to a sudden advance in building within norte fiela th camhn e d o lin th f peo (illu(AncienD sSD Ice )th t Monuments Division) contractee dth author to obtain a section through the ditch and to carry out a watching brief on the field during topsoil strippin locato gt evidency an e f activiteo y withi came aree th nf th p ao wher 'axen ea d an ' 'spearheads beed ha 'n foun19te th hn di centur ObjectS y(O Name Book, (1864-5)1 5 , 100). THE EXCAVATION THE CAMP DITCH A machine was available for part of one day to carry out exploratory trenching (illus Id). Trench 1 was positioned close to the fence line at the foot of the field to check an area of the projected line of the camp ditch which was not clearly visible on the aerial photograph. This failed to locate the ditch, revealing instead very thick grey clay sediments residue Aberdeen-Inverurie th , th f eo e Canal which existed from 1804 to 1854 (Graham 1968). This had cut through the camp between Bridgeale- hous Tuacd ean h Hildestroyed lan evidence dth thir efo s sectio ditche th f seconno A . d machine-dug trench (Trenc narrowl) h2 y misse ditce dth h line further;a , hand-cut, trench (Trenc locate) h3 a t a t di point close to its reappearance on the aerial photograph. Kin9 *50 g Street, AberdeenT 3B 2 AB , 6 20 SOCIET ANTIQUARIEF YO SCOTLANDF SO , 1986 ILLUS 1 a, b, Location of north-east temporary camps showing position of Kintore (after Breeze); c, plan of camp at Kintore (after St Joseph); d, position of trenches and features as excavated The ditch was approximately 3-25 m broad by 1-4 m deep, with a slightly asymmetrical V-shaped section (illus 2). It was dug through layers of varying sizes of gravels into very fine, shifting, sandy gravel. The more resistant layers of larger gravels together with a band of yellow clay had contributed to the stepped appearance of the section as the softer layers silted more readily into the ditch. The initial infill comprised small lenses of fine clean sandy gravels interspersed with lenses of siltier, more purply brown material. This fine interleavin f lensego f siltino s d slippaggan s ewa succeeded afte build-ua ry b homogeneou0-n a 4 m f po s purple-brown silty soil. This soil contained varying amounts of gravel admixture representing incorporation of material from the sides and presumabl internae yth l bank, some trac whicf eo ditce h thi a coulth s innehf ne a o see e th d p b n rli n o spread of sandy upcast on the surface of the subsoil. This gradual infilling of the ditch clearly demonstrates tha deliberato n t e slightin came taketh d f pha go n place thin i t leas sa t , areano t . diagnostio N c finds came fro ditce mth h fill smalA . l oblate lonstonem slightld m gan 4 5 , y flattened in section, was found at the bottom of the ditch fill; in size, shape and regularity it was unlike any material from the subsoil, ditch fill or topsoil. Although its size and shape are commensurate with thos slingstonef eo leaf so clar do y from Roman sites suc Ardocs ha Birrensd han identificatios ,it s na t consideresucno s Clarkehi V D Breezr J d ,D likelD per d r esan y(D comm). INTERIOE CAME TH TH PF RO A watching brief on the rest of the field during topsoil stripping revealed two minor and one major featur subsoie th n ei l (illus Id; Features A-C). Feature A This was a small, roughly circular, scoop of charcoal surrounded by red burnt subsoil, c 0-1 m deediametern i 0-d 3pm an . There wer associateo en d small finds. SHEPHERD: EXCAVATION KINTORT SA E ROMAN TEMPORARY CAMP7 , 20 1984 ILLUS 2 Section through temporary camp ditch Feature B roughla This swa y oval scoop 0-7c , 2 0-3y mb 6 0-y mb 1 m deep, wit hhomogeneoua s filf o l grey-brown sandy material. There wer associateo en d small finds. Featur (illueC ) s3 Thi firss stwa observe groua s da comparativelf po y large stones associated wit aren ha burnf ao t material comprising charcoal, reddened subsoil and charcoal-flecked grey-brown soil, material simila thao t rf Featur o t . CleanineA g revealed thastonee th t s partially covere dsmallisa h sub- rectangula 0-4ry botto e lineb pit0-deeps y 7m th b 9 m 1- ,c t wa d a 2t m .I wit hblaca k silty soid lan subsequently filled with layers of charcoal and red, burnt, clayey earth and ultimately with charcoal- flecked grey-brown soil. From this spread an oval scoop, 2-9mbyl-lmbya maximum of 0-25 m deep, containing similar burnt material, red earth and charcoal-flecked soil, suggesting material cleared-ou t itselft pi fro e m. th Trace charcoaf so l also continue amorphoun a n di s sprea base th et da topsoile oth f . One carbonized grai f cultivateo n d oats, either Avena strigosa (bristl e. salivaA oat r o ) (cultivated oat) was found within the residue of burning at the bottom of the pit. Both of these species have been Iron-Agfoune th t da e sites (Boyd, forthcoming Romat a d )an n sites throughout Scotland (lessen & Helbaek 1944) and appear to have been becoming established in Scotland around this time. Traces of alder and oak charcoal were also present in this material, and alder, birch and, to a lesser extent comprisek ,oa largee dth r remnant charcoaf so l layere pit e Boyd'r th ; D n di s full repore th n to charcoal and material from the pit is on fiche 4: G8-11. identificatioe Th thif no s featur fiela s eda oven seem BreezeJ s likelD r y(D , pers comm)e th , charcoal evidence suggesting firewood mosdrawe th r t nparfo t from scrub woodland. Unfortunately, no diagnostic small finds were present in the pit or amongst the spread of burnt material. | SOCIET 8 20 Y OF ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND, 1986 [ I charcoal-flecked lgreyI \ - brown soil ILLUS 3 Plan and sections of Feature C ROMAN CAMPS NORTH OF THE MOUNTH Davi dBreezJ e The temporary camp at Kintore is one of at least eight Roman camps known north of the Mounth. In 1958, when Professor J K St Joseph drew up his first classification of Roman camps in Scotland, Kintore was placed within the 120 acre series, which was dated to either the Antonine campaigns of the mid second century or the Severan campaigns of the early third (St Joseph 1958,93). Excavatio t Ardocna 196 n hconsideres i 9wa provido dt e suppor latee th seriee r datth fo t t r s(S efo Joseph 1970). In 1973 St Joseph (1973, 231-2) noted that the northernmost camps of this series - Raedykes, Normandykes, Kintore, Ythan Well Muiryfold san noticeable ar d- y smaller tha0 n12 acres: Raedyke othee th acre3 9 d r s foussi an r about 110 tentativele H . y proposed that they might relate to Agricola's seventh campaign, that leading to Mons Graupius. In 1977, following the discovery of an exceptionally large camp at Durno (140-4 acres), between Kintore and Ythan Wells, he restated his case with more assertion, specifically suggesting that Durno was where Agricola's army campe nighe th tn d beforo battle eth Monf eo s Graupiu Josept s(S h 1977,143-5; 1978,277-87). SHEPHERD: EXCAVATIONS AT KINTORE ROMAN TEMPORARY CAMP, 1984 209 G S Maxwell (1980,41) has noted that 'although the arguments advanced in favour of this ascription mose ar t ingenious face ,th t remains tha same tth e leve evidencf lo lons eha g been use supporo dt n ta early third-centur yacr0 date' 11 etha d shape e seriean ,th tth f campsf eo so whicf ,o h Kintor ones ei , would tend to support a Severan rather than an Agricolan date. There the problem must rest meanwhile, with Kintore being assigned to the 110 acre series of marching camps, but doubt still surrounding the date of the series.