An ancient textile which gives a unique insight into Iron Age Scotland is to go on display for the first time.
Sites in Perth and Kinross
Articles
Rich Hiden’s voice was shaking as he spoke to BBC Radio Scotland in June 2021.
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Nellie Wilson works part-time weaving together hazel branches to build the walls and roof of a replica Iron Age roundhouse.
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Volunteers are helping to build a replica crannog on Loch Tay after an earlier model burned down two years ago.
More info : theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/may/18/iron-age-roundhouse-rises-from-the-ashes-on-shores-of-scottish-lake
A Perthshire tourist attraction, devastated by fire in June, has been given £51,000 towards its recovery.
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An ancient relic that shines a light on Neolithic life has been discovered in a picturesque reserve in Highland Perthshire.
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Archaeologists have discovered a historic site of national significance beneath the sandy soil of rural Perthshire.
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3,000-year-old Carpow logboat comes home to Perthshire
One of the finest archaeological finds ever made in Perthshire has taken up residence at Perth Museum and Art Gallery
The Bronze Age Carpow logboat has been transported to the town and painstakingly lifted into its new home by conservation specialists.
One of the oldest and best preserved in Scotland, the 3,000-year-old logboat will be at the heart of the museum’s new exhibitions, offering an insight into local life in the distant past.
Since its excavation from the River Tay, near Carpow, in 2006, staff at the National Museums Scotland’s conservation and analytical research department have been restoring and preserving the boat.
On its return to Perthshire, the logboat was manoeuvred into Perth Museum in sections by conservators from National Museums Scotland and a team from TG McDonald Engineering.
Over the next few weeks, the logboat will be made whole again and take centre stage in an exhibition on its Bronze Age origins, opening on March 19.
The logboat was recovered from the Tay Estuary by the Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust after being discovered in 2001, buried in the intertidal sands and gravels of Carpow Bank, at the head of the Tay Estuary.
Carved from a single tree, the simple craft are the first known boats in existence.
A radiocarbon date verified that the Carpow boat was 3,000 years old, dating to 1130-970BC and excavations in 2002 and 2003 established the full length of the boat at around 9m.
While the bow of the boat had been eroded by tidal action, the buried hull and stern remained in excellent condition.
The site could only be accessed over the summer for around three to four hours each day, and was reburied in tidal mud and sand at each high tide.
The exploratory excavations did, however, identify Carpow as one of the best-preserved prehistoric logboats ever found in Britain.
It was eventually decided to recover the vessel for study and conservation after its exposed bow was found to be eroding.
Excavation was just the beginning of work to preserve the vessel as the team revealed that the oak boat had only survived because it had remained waterlogged.
Once out of the water, the vessel was at risk of disintegration and had to be cleaned, preserved and freeze-dried before it was safe to display in a museum.
Perth Museum and Art Gallery has been closed since January to prepare the galleries for the logboat and to allow for the first stage of improvement works in the entrance hall to be completed safely.
It will reopen on March 5 with the Dinosaurs Unleashed exhibition, featuring life-size dinosaurs, holographic video presentations by wildlife expert Chris Packham, real and replica fossils and interactive exhibits.
Entry is free and the exhibition runs until May 5.
Lifelong learning convener Councillor Liz Grant said: ‘’Painstaking work has enabled the Carpow logboat to be made ready for display so that we can all discover more about life locally thousands of years ago.
‘’It’s great that we have the chance to highlight the ancient history of the Perth and Kinross area as the Museum reopens after important improvements.’‘
? Editor’s link: The Carpow Logboat, on the Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust website
Iron Age dwelling remains uncovered in Perthshire could cast “new light” on early Scottish history.
Archaeologists working near the village of Dunning found an Iron Age broch which has evidence of early contact between the Picts and the Roman Empire.
The broch – a drystone wall structure – is the first of its kind to be found in the Scottish lowlands for 100 years.
Evidence shows that the Roman dwelling was destroyed by fire and then probably reoccupied by a Pictish warlord.
It was uncovered by a team from the Strathearn Environs and Royal Forteviot (Serf) project.
Pictish power
Brochs were the preferred residence of the elite during Roman times. The team said the “exquisitely preserved” Dunning example was built at the top of a hill and offers a 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside.
It was also “massively fortified” with 5m (16.4ft) thick drystone walls.
It appears to have been destroyed by fire before the Picts built a palisaded fortress directly on top of the site.
Professor Stephen Driscoll, director of the Serf project, said: “There can be no doubt that we have located one of the major centres of Pictish power from the 1st and 2nd Centuries.
“The scale of the architecture is colossal and the tower-like structure would have visually dominated its surroundings.”
‘First contact‘
A wide range of Roman trade goods have been discovered in the broch, including a bronze patera, a glass vessel and an unusual lead bowl.
The Professor of Historical Archaeology at the University of Glasgow said it was “not unreasonable” to conclude the broch was the seat of a Celtic chieftain who collected luxury objects from the Roman world.
He added: “The artefacts are of particular interest as they date to the time of the first contact with the Roman world and offer numerous clues to how the Picts might have begun their interactions with the Roman Empire.”
Serf archaeologists believe the broch is the best example of an Iron Age Roman site being reoccupied by the Picts.
The excavation was directed by Dr Heather James, from Northlight Heritage, one of Serf’s partner organisations.
Major sponsorship for the project comes from the University of Glasgow, Historic Scotland, the British Academy and the Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust.
From the BBC
Museum has been allocated the 6,000 year old treasure which is just one of the finds north of the border.
More info :
heritage.caledonianmercury.com/2010/11/02/preparing-the-perfect-prehistoric-pint/001566
Preparing the perfect prehistoric pint
By Elizabeth McQuillan
Academics have pondered over why we began to cultivate cereal, and in particular barley, crops alongside our livestock around 4000 BC. Common sense dictates that these grains provided an ideal source of carbohydrate, and it allowed some welcome additions such as bread, porridge, and sugars into the larder. But archaeological findings also suggest that we were partial to a bit of ale to wash down our supper, and that we have been home-brewing for quite some time.
In fact radiocarbon dating of residues found in a drinking vessel in Strathallan, Fife, identified the alcoholic tipple as having been fermented as early as the second millennium BC (1540BC to be exact; at a time when the ancient Egyptians were erecting gargantuan pyramidal structures). Next to this archaeological find lay the body of a young woman, so perhaps it had been a bad pint, or there was some refining still to be done with that particular recipe.
Fast-forwarding to our crop-growing Neolithic and Bronze Age years, at a ceremonial site in Balfarg/Balbirnie, Tayside, fermented grain and plant residues were found in large buried earthenware vessels – evidence that the cultivated grain was being used for more than making porridge and bread. The sample also contained the pollen of Deadly Nighshade, which may have had hallucinogenic properties, or perhaps was designed to poison all the party guests. Again, the recipe maybe just needed a bit of tweaking.
But then, without the benefit of a biochemistry degree to understand the processes involved, these early brewers could only experiment and learn through trial and error how to achieve the best brew. Shared with their neighbours, they probably drank the good with the bad, and slept off the effects to come back and try another day.
So, what would the brewing process have involved in 4000BC?
Malting (germination) could be achieved in watertight vessels with frequent water changes or by placing the grain in a tied bag in a running stream so the water remained fresh and didn’t require changing. Soaked grain would then be laid on a flat floor away from the outside elements and regularly raked and watered. Once the grain reached an early stage of germination, the grain would be dried with a kiln to preserve the sugars.
Mashing (when starch is converted to sugar) involved grinding the grain with quernstones. This would help release natural enzymes and speed the conversion of the remaining starch to sugar. The gentle heat needed could have been provided by hot stones or by using the ash from the fire.
Sparging is washing through the mash with hot water to produce sweet wort that can then be fermented. Our ancestors would have probably used their woven baskets for this job, and let the watery soup filter into an earthenware vessel. The spent grain provided quality fodder for the livestock.
Fermentation needs yeast, and there are a number of possible methods to explain how this yeast was introduced. Airborne yeast could be enough but, in the Western Isles, a hazel “wand” was traditionally used to stir the brew during fermentation. Each time the wand would stir a new batch, the dried yeast on the wand would reactivate the process. Perfect.
A couple of mystical, biochemical hocus pocus weeks later, and a tantalising pitcher of ale with supper was a reality. And a party a racing certainty.
A 4000-year-old burial chamber in Perthshire has been described as Scotland’s “Valley of the Kings.”
Excavation of the site at Forteviot, just to the south of Perth, began in earnest last year and ever since it has been regarded as something of an archaeological jewel.
It was uncovered by the Strathearn Environs and Royal Forteviot (SERF) project, run by archaeologists from Glasgow, Aberdeen and Chester universities, and the results of the project’s first three years have just been published by Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust.
Researchers first discovered the four-tonne capstone slab covering the burial chamber in 2008, but had to wait until last year to organise the resources to lift it.
The team hoped there was a burial chamber beneath, but had no idea it would prove to be one of the best preserved sites in Britain and almost undamaged by the passage of time.
The high quality of preservation proved to be “virtually unique” and archaeologists were soon claiming the early Bronze Age grave as a site of “exceptional importance.”
At the entrance, a stone sealed the grave so well that organic materials survived, with a leather bag, unidentified wooden objects and plant matter among the items discovered.
A distinctive bronze dagger with a gold hilt band was also found.
The plant matter was later identified as meadowsweet blossoms and was hailed as the first proof that people in the Bronze Age laid flowers upon the graves of loved ones.
Together with carvings on the underside of the capstone, the findings were also taken as evidence that the grave was that of a significant person.
The team returned this year to reveal more impressive burials and monuments, indicating that the site was a significant centre of ceremony and burial in the early prehistoric and the Pictish periods.
Excavations explored part of a massive Neolithic timber enclosure and demonstrated that the monument required over 200 huge timber posts, which needed a ramp to hoist them into position.
The work has shown that the site continued as a major burial location and ritual landscape into the Bronze Age.
The area has also revealed square barrow cemeteries from the Pictish period and although these burial mounds have not yet been dated, their form suggests they are early, demonstrating that people in the Dark Ages were using the prehistoric earthworks as a sacred place for burial in the period around the formation of the Pictish kingdom.
Perth MSP Roseanna Cunningham said the burial site helped to underline “the absolutely central importance of this part of Perthshire to the whole of Scotland.”
The full story, along with illustrations and photographs, is revealed in a new 60-page Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust publication, Strathearn Environs and Royal Forteviot Project Report 2006-2009.
The booklet is available from the trust’s office, Perth Museum and Art Gallery and the AK Bell Library.
Woodland Trust is ‘delighted’ by decision to throw out application for resort.
by Lucinda Cameron.
published 17/06/2010.
Conservationists were celebrating yesterday after planning permission for a luxury golf course and hotel in ancient Scottish woodland was rejected.
More info at -
pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1786969
I know some of these guys so well done to them :-)
Had been thought to be Bronze Age but according to Dr. Kenneth Brophy in a talk tonight the C14 dates came back Fiday and place it in the Neolithic with dates in the range 3000-2800 B.C.E. pre-dating the henge and the timber circle
Iron Age visitor attraction shows stinging weed’s many applications.
Nettle soup anyone?
More at :
pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1739118
(Published 17/5/2010)
Dig in Scotland has discovered a bunch of meadowsweet blossoms in a Bronze Age grave at Forteviot, south of Perth.
More at
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/8412938.stm
Bronze Age replica made from a single tree.
by Alison Middleton. First published in the Press and Journal 2/09/09.
A replica Bronze Age boat has successfully completed her maiden voyage across Loch Tay.
The rest of the story :
From the Courier
thecourier.co.uk/output/2006/07/29/newsstory8595566t0.asp
Archaeologists have been working this week on a 30ft long Bronze age log boat, which is in the tidal mudflats of the Tay near Abernethy. A radiocarbon test has dated it to 1000BC, so it is among the oldest ever found in Scotland. It was probably used for fishing and wildfowling.
It will be lifted by a floating cradle and transported to the National Museum of Scotland, where it will be conserved over three years before display.
(edit) there’s a picture of the boat, in the mud, here:
heritage.scotsman.com/places.cfm?id=1111362006
Paul Bahn finishes a series of six Rhind lectures, “Art on the Rocks”, tomorrow at the National Museum of Scotland. I managed to get to three on the Saturday. All were hugely informative, entertaining thought provoking and at times very funny. The one that would be of interest to most was “The Emperor’s New Clothes”. I won’t twitter too much so here’s wee synopsis.
It appears that there is not that much opposition, other than Bahn himself, to the David Lewis Williams’ shamanic hypothesis but he pointed out that a majority of Neurophysiologists and Ice Age experts do not accept it and that in South Africa the experts on the ethnography of the tribes cited disagree entirely with him as does the “Stan” of South Africa, Bert Woodhouse. More importantly Tribesmen when asked their opinion on the carvings never mention shaman, this applies to other continents as well as Africa and oddly an area that provides some positive ethnography to the theory has no RA. A great iconoclastic attack that might help redress the balance. The theory has replaced the old hunting and sympathetic magic type explanations and likes lots of archaeo mantras it makes for lazy thinking. Nobody is denying the importance or existence of shamanism to many cultures but we have no evidence for it being an explanation for RA here, and as Paul would have it anywhere else. For me the Lewis – Williams books were stimulating reads that will probably influence thinking in this area for a generation but like a lot of big archaeo ideas the cracks were visible a while ago and are getting bigger.
the events for Perthshire Archaeology Month have just been announced, running from 27 May – 25 June 2006
https://www.perthshire.co.uk/index.asp?tm=49
some megalithic highlights:
The Cleaven Dyke, Meikleour: a guided walk
Monday, 29th May and Tuesday 20th June: 1400-1600: Blairgowrie
A guided walk led by archaeologists from PKHT along one of Perthshire’s premier archaeological sites. Long thought to be Roman military vallum, the excavation has since proved it to be a “cursus” monument of the Neolithic period, dating to before 3600 BC. The monument, which is over 2 km long and consists of an earthwork bank flanked by ditches, acted as a key ritual site throughout prehistory. Grade of walk: Easy.
Free, but pre-booking essential. To book contact: David Strachan, Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust (01738) 477081.
Dunsinnan Hillfort Guided Walk
Wednesday 31st May and Thursday 22nd June: 1400–1600: Collace
Back by popular demand – a guided walk to one of Perthshire’s best preserved hill-forts, with spectacular views over Strathmore and the Tay. Attributed as the Dunsinane of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Dunsinnan has much earlier, prehistoric origins. The walk we will explore all aspects of the archaeology on the hill, from prehistoric cup marked rocks to the idea that the fort may have been occupied during the life of Macbeth and King Duncan. Grade of walk: Moderate.
Free, but pre-booking essential. To book contact: Sarah Winlow, Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust (01738) 477080.
The Archaeology of the Sma’ Glen
Thursday 1st June: 1100-1630: The Sma’ Glen
Discover the wealth of archaeological sites surviving nestled within one of Perthshire’s most dramatic small glens. From the Roman fort of Fendoch and it’s watch-tower, to Ossian’s stone and the 18th century fermtouns and General Wade’s road and bridges. An enlightening afternoon in one of the areas best loved spots. Grade of walk: Moderate.
Charge £5 per head: pre-booking essential. To book contact: David Strachan, Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust (01738) 477081.
Fortingall: Imprints of the Ages
Thursday 1st and Tuesday 13th June: 1000–1230 and 1400-1630: Fortingall
Join members of Breadalbane Heritage Society on a guided walk of Fortingall and its environs, covering everything from prehistoric long barrow and stone circles to the distinctive work of the Arts and Crafts architect, James Maclaren, who created the model village that stands today. The tour will end with the church, which contains an excellent collection of Pitcish stones, amongst other evidence of an early Christian monastic settlement, and the famous yew tree. Grade of walk: Easy.
Free though donations appreciated. Pre-booking is essential. Join the walk for the whole day or for either the morning or afternoon session only. Depending on demand, a mini-bus may run from Kenmore to Fortingall. To book Contact: Gillian Hull, Breadalbane Heritage Society (01887) 840380.
Archaeology around Moulin and Pitlochry
Friday 2nd June: 1000–1300: Moulin/Pitlcohry
A Guided tour by coach and on foot visiting Dunfallandy Pictish Stone, Bronze Age hut circles on Moulin Moor and the Black Castle of Moulin – weather permitting includes walk along part of the old road between Moulin and Strathardle to a prominent cup marked rock. The tour will be led by Isobel Hughes of Moulin and Pitlochry History Circle. Grade of walk: Moderate.
Charge: £5.00 per head for minibus. No dogs allowed. To book contact: Pitlochry Tourist Information Centre (01796) 472215.
Fowlis Wester: Standing Stones, Picts and World War Two
Saturday 3rd June: 1100–1400: Fowlis Wester
People have lived in and around Fowlis Wester since prehistoric times and this walk will explore some of that rich history and the fascinating series of monuments it has left for us. Bring a packed lunch if you want to enjoy the optional afternoon extension to the walk. Grade of walk: Moderate.
Free, but pre-booking essential. To book contact: Mark Hall, Perth Museum (01738) 632488.
Historic Dunning Guided Walk
Saturday 3rd and Saturday 17th June: 1430–1600: Dunning
Join members of Dunning Parish Historical Society for a guided walk around Dunning, beginning at the fountain in Tron Square, and find out more about the archaeology and history in Dunning and the surrounding area. The walk will cover many themes from prehistoric standing stones and Roman camps to St. Serf’s church and the Dupplin cross, where there will be an opportunity to be shown around by Historic Scotland staff. Grade of walk: Easy.
Free but pre-booking essential. To book contact: Simon Warren, Dunning Parish Historical Society (01764) 684523.
Woodland Quest: Ancient loch-dwellers, Woods and Wildlife
Sunday 4th, Wednesday 7th, Wednesday 14th, Sunday 18th June and Friday the 23rd June: 1000-1700: Kenmore, Loch Tay
Celebrate Iron Age ingenuity and interaction with the environment. Collect an ‘Eye-Spy’ pack from the Scottish Crannog Centre and explore the loch-side trail. Spot clues and collect evidence for prize draw entry. Free Grade: Easy.
Free, no booking required. For further details contact: The Scottish Crannog Centre. Kenmore, Loch Tay (01887) 830583.
Blackfaulds and Druid’s Wood stone circles
Friday 9th and Friday 16th June: 1430–1630: Guildtown
Come and explore two of Perthshire’s less frequented stone circles as a taster for the Stone Circles Trail. Walk leader Mark Hall (Perth Museum and Art Gallery). Grade of walk: Easy.
Free but pre-booking essential. To book contact: Mark Hall, Perth Museum (01738) 632488.
Dundurn Hill
Tuesday 13th June: 1330–1600: St. Fillans
Accompany Countryside Rangers from Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park on a walk up Dundurn hill in St. Fillans. Occupying a craggy knoll, this Iron Age fort became a principal Pictish stronghold. Discover more about its origins, and also St. Faolan, the Celtic missionary who gave the village its most recent name. With great views of Loch Earn from the top, there is also a chance to cure your rheumatism by lying on St. Fillans’ Chair! Grade of walk: Moderate/Hard.
Free, but pre-booking essential. To book contact: Linda Winskill, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park (01567) 830430.
Craig Rossie Hillfort Guided Walk
Saturday 17th June: 1400–1700: Auchterarder
A guided walk, led by Mark Hall of Perth Museum, exploring the hillforts of Craig Rossie, with its spectacular views of Strathearn. Free but pre-booking essential. Grade of walk: Moderate/Hard (steep in places).
To book contact: Mark Hall, Perth Museum (01738) 632488.
Barry Hillfort Guided Walk
Saturday 24th June: 1430–1600: Alyth
A guided walk, led by Mark Hall of Perth Museum, up to the heights of Barry Hillfort with its massive defences and commanding views of Strathmore. Grade of walk: Moderate.
Free, but pre-booking essential. To book contact: Mark Hall, Perth Museum (01738) 632488.
Hands On the Past! An Archaeological Activity Day
Saturday 27th May: 1130–1530: Perth
Perth Young Archaeologists’ Club and Perth Museum and Art Gallery present a day of fun activities for all the family. Handle prehistoric artefacts, identify bones, try ancient crafts and piece together pottery; even have a go at excavation in our ‘dig box’.
Free, but pre-booking for the dig box is essential. To book contact: Perth Museum and Art Gallery (01738) 632488. For more about Perth Young Archaeologists’ Club contact: Sarah Winlow (01738) 477080.
Fun with Fibres: The Scottish Crannog Centre
Monday, 29th May: 1100-1600: Kenmore, Loch Tay
This spinning, weaving, and dying gala day is inspired by underwater discoveries of ancient textiles. Try your hand at rope-making, watch weavers at work, make a dye-bath, spin colourful yarns or grasp the nettle to make string. Hands-on fun for all ages.
Normal admissions apply: Adults £4.95. Seniors £4.25 Children £3.25 Families from £14.50 – including tour of the Crannog. Contact: The Scottish Crannog Centre. Kenmore, Loch Tay (01887) 830583.
Come and Try Underwater Archaeology: The Scottish Crannog Centre
Saturday, 3rd June: 1000-1300: Kenmore, Loch Tay
Meet Scotland’s ‘Underwater Time Team’ from the Scottish Crannog Centre and try out scuba and archaeology in the local swimming pool pool for ages 8+. Pre-Booking essential.
Charge: £15 per 45 minute session, meet at the Kenmore Club Resort pool. To book Contact: The Scottish Crannog Centre. Kenmore, Loch Tay (01887) 830583.
“Underwater archaeologists in Perthshire have made the incredible discovery of a drowned forest, thought to date from the neolithic period some 5000 years ago.”
A series of events celebrating the rich and varied archaeology of Strathearn and beyond is set to take place from May 29 until June 6.
Perthshire Archaeology Week has been organised by a consortium of local and national organisations, and receives funding from Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust and the Perthshire Tourist Board.
A series of illustrated talks, guided walks and other events will take place alongside two excavations, for which volunteers are still required.
The first dig will be at Innerpeffray Library, near Crieff, and will be carried out by Roman expert David Woolliscroft as he attempts to find the route of the Gask Ridge Roman road as it crossed the River Earn near Strageath Roman fort.
The second dig, organised by Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust and SUAT Ltd of Perth, will take place at the National Trust for Scotland’s Old Schoolhouse Cottown, near St Madoes.
For further information visit www.perthshire.co.uk/archaeologyweek or pick up at leaflet at any tourist information centre or library throughout Perthshire.
Perthshire Archaeology Week will be held this year from 29/5/04 to 6/6/04.
Details can be found at;
www.perthshire.co.uk/archaeologyweek
This page will be updated as the programme is finalised (not much on there today). Details can also be obtained from Douglas Ritchie in the Tourist Board in Perth (01738 627958) or David Strachan, Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust (01738 447855).
From Blairgowrie Advertiser a couple of weeks ago;
Pictish stone needs a home
Sally Wilson
AN ancient Pictish slab, which has been severely eroded after lying in an East Perthshire churchyard for decades, could soon be conserved in a museum.
Standing at around eight foot, the engraved Pictish cross-slab, which dates back thousands of years, was discovered in around 1865 before being moved to the Kettins churchyard.
Eroded after years of use as a footbridge across Kettins Burn, now government agency Historic Scotland is due to carry out tests on the ancient monument, while villagers help find an appropriate final resting place for the slab.
Coupar Angus and Meigle councillor Alan Grant, who has been in contact with Historic Scotland, hopes the historic and cultural wealth of the cross-slab will capture the imagination of local residents and so help in a bid to try and retain the stone locally.
The sheer size of the slab, however, is likely to make relocating it difficult Councillor Grant explained. He said: “The cross-slab is described as massive and indeed it is. This means that there are two principal problems in relocating it; first you have to find a big enough building to put it in and secondly you have to have a strong enough base to support it.
“That, of course, assumes you can actually move it in the first place but Historic Scotland advise me they have a specialist team which does this type of job and they seem confident they can handle the moving. So now our most important task is to find somewhere to set it up which is firstly, and most importantly, public, and if possible, local.”
Part of a former Pictish settlement, Kettins and the surrounding area has been found to be rich in 7th to 10th century stone carvings over the last 100 years or so. The discoveries in the area are recognised worldwide as one of the most important examples of early medieval sculpture in Western Europe.
And despite showing signs of physical erosion from its use as a footbridge, from the weather and from the damaging effect of ivy, the carvings are still evident on one side of the stone. Although the symbolic cross much associated with Pictish carvings is very worn, four panels on the right of the shaft contain various carvings including a griffin or winged horse, three cloaked figures and a creature with the head of a Pictish beast and the body of a horse or dog.
Historic Scotland are due to carry out a specialist assessment of the stone to decide how best to conserve it and have stressed their sensitivity to trying to retain it locally. This forms part of the work of the agency’s 7,000 monument wardens and the Kettins cross-slab was identified as being in need of conservation as a matter of routine checking.
Meigle Museum, which already contains 26 sculptured Pictish stones, is being considered alongside Perth Museum, as a possible permanent home for the slab. A spokesperson from Meigle Museum explained how the museum, which is largely visited by tourists from all over the world, was considered one of the best collections of Pictish stone in the country. She added: “The stone would certainly be one of the biggest in our collection but we’ve got the room for it and the more we have of these ancient stones the better.”
theherald.co.uk/news/archive/11-6-19103-23-50-7.html
DULL by name but not by nature.
The sleepy Perthshire hamlet of Dull may be a collection of cottages with an unfortunate name that makes it the butt of many jokes, but an archaeological excavation is uncovering that it was once one of the most important places in Scotland.
The Dull Dig, which will be open to the public from Saturday until June 27, is a rare chance to view an archaeological excavation uncovering aspects of Scotland’s most distant past.
Alan Graham, director of operations at Perthshire Tourist Board, said: “The dig is one of the focal points of Perthshire Archaeology Week, a programme of exhibitions, guided walks, lectures and activities that will highlight the rich and varied history of the heart of Scotland.
“During the week, visitors will be able to sample underwater archaeology, explore one of Europe’s best-preserved Roman forts, walk to Dunsinnan – best known for its association with Macbeth’s castle of Dunsinane – visit a 5000-year-old axe factory, join a landscape survey and much more.”
The area around Dull has been inhabited for at least 5000 years. In the 7th century, it became a place of solitude and retreat for St Adamnan, the biographer of St Columba, who is attributed with halting the plague in the area by the miracle of casting the evil spirits of the disease into a rock.
In the Dark Ages from the 7th century onwards, Dull was the foremost centre of ecclesiastical learning in Scotland with an early Christian monastic complex and a thriving community with paved streets devoted to different trades.
Dull’s influence waned as it was superseded by Dunkeld and St Andrews, but as late as the 12th century it housed a Trionensian priory established by King David I of Scotland.
Now much of the history of Dull is being uncovered through the archaeological dig at Dull parish church, which is thought to occupy the site of the original monastery. Excavations last year uncovered the remains of an earlier building below the church as well as pottery and human remains.
- June 11th 2003
From the 23rd December edition of The Herald.
by MARTYN McLAUGHLIN
Archeologists have discovered the remains of a 9000-year-old community that shows Scotland’s earliest settlers may have been of Nordic origins. The site, halfway up the 4000ft Ben Lawers in Perthshire, has uncovered a range of flints and tools almost identical to those originally created in Norway. However, it came as a surprise. Dr John Atkinson, of Glasgow University, was leading a five-year project to excavate the area and was working on another site at the time. “We were looking at structures relating to the 1570s when we dug a bit deeper and stumbled upon the site,” he said. “It is the earliest inland site and certainly the first highland settlement to have been found in Scotland.”
He believes the discovery shows settlers were living on the mountain range some 10,000 years ago after the glaciers receded. More than 9000 pieces of material have been found, and the head of Glasgow University’s archeological research division believes historians will be forced to reconsider what was previously taken for granted. “We found flints, blades and lots of quartz debris from where they had obviously tried to repair their tools,” said Dr Atkinson. “We believe they came inland from the coast – which was the only place they could have found the flint – to hunt deer through the valley. The similarities between their tools with those found in Norway is very exciting.”
The comparisons point to the theory that Scots fled east to Norway at the onset of the ice age, but came back in surges to repopulate the country once the glaciers had melted. Archeologists have only discovered scattered settlements before the Ben Lawers find, most of them based around the coastline and lowlands. However, the new site has led historians to believe the first settlers may well have been far more advanced than was once thought, able to adapt to the inhospitable climate of the Highlands.
The discovery comes after a recent increase in funding to protect the natural landscape of Ben Lawers. The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded an additional £1m to the National Trust for Scotland in June to assist a five-year programme of repairs on Ben Lawers, Glencoe and other mountains. The project is designed to improve public walkways, and at the same time, preserve the land. The five-year Ben Lawers historic landscape project started in 2002, aiming to coordinate wide-ranging studies into human influence on the landscape of North Lochtayside. Information in the field is being collected through detailed topographic and underwater surveys, excavations, and environmental and scientific studies.
- Dec 23rd
from the Herald:
Shan Ross
The earliest known house in Scotland is understood to have been unearthed in Dunbar, East Lothian.
Archaeologists believe the remains of the house on the site of a limestone quarry dates from the Mesolithic era of the hunter-gatherers between 8000BC and 4000BC.
The site could pre-date the Skara Brae settlement in Orkney which is from around 2000BC in the Neolithic Age.
But the substantial structure might never have been found had planners not insisted the site be surveyed by archaeologists before Lefarge Cement could begin quarrying.
The discovery of holes to take wooden posts for a teepee-like structure, suggest for the first time that the hunter-gatherers built semi-permanent structures from which to roam the shore and countryside in search of food.
Previous sites dating from the Mesolithic era have been found, including shell middens on the west coast of Scotland. A number of small hunting camps scattered with stone tools have also been found.
However no other sites apart from Mount Sandal in Northern Ireland show evidence of serious construction methods.
First indications of the site’s age emerged with the discovery of thousands of flint shards, the remnants of stone tool manufacture, the tools themselves and burned hazelnut shells.
But significantly the discovery of the inward-sloping 8in diameter post holes indicated that the partially natural hollow around which they had been sunk was more than an overnight shelter, according to John Gooder, the project manager for the Edinburgh-based AOC Archaeology.
He said: “Considerable effort was involved in building this round house so perhaps our Mesolithic family spent a relatively lengthy stay in the area, or perhaps returned to the house at particular times of the year over a lengthy period.
“This contrasts strongly with the prevailing view of Mesolithic settlements as little more than temporary camps scattered over a hunting territory.”
Dr Alan Savile, curator of archaeology at the National Museums of Scotland, described the find as “extremely significant” and added: “We may well be looking at Scotland’s earliest house.”
Hunter-gatherers were the original environmentalists. They knew how to burn a stretch of moorland to improve hunting or stimulate the re-growth of edible plants in much the same way grouse moors are burned today to encourage the growth of fresh heather. It is still unknown why or how they managed to turn to farming as a way of life.
-21 Nov
More news about Carpow Log Boat.
Full article at icPerthshire .
Local ‘Earth Energy’ researcher and author David Cowan has some theories about the placing of local stone circles in relation to a major geological fault line.
“According to a local geological map, a fault line runs across Crieff’s High Street, and it may be this which is responsible for some unusual occurrences,” he said. “For instance, one precursor to the Killin ‘quake on the Thursday (20th Jan) afternoon was felt in the Pretoria Bar in the High Street, just prior to the 10pm shock, when a bottle of whisky fell off a shelf. This must have been very unnerving but geological fault lines give a plausible explanation for these seemingly paranormal events.”
David says: “There must be many other ancient sites built upon and making use of the strange but natural energies our planet emits. It is probably this fault, running through a large part of the town which causes people to hear, feel and see things which may frighten them, when the culprit may really be the human brain reacting to natural energies. People may see visions, ghosts and objects but they can be put down to natural sub-surface energies.”
On the Crieff Golf Course there is the remains of an ancient four-stone circle which can be seen from the Crieff-Gilmerton road.
David suggests that the circle has been carefully placed directly on top of a fault line, where the conglomerates – or pudding stones – of the Knock butt against the schistose grits to the south. This fault appears to run down to near Millar Street to the High Street, presumably close to the Pretoria, running roughly parallel to the east of King Street and on to the River Earn bridge.
David explained: “When faults move they emit a wide variety of sounds and electro-magnetic frequencies, rather like an orchestra, with every instrument playing out of tune and at full blast. Any sounds heard are usually deep, like thunder, as the higher frequencies are filtered out by the overlying rock. It is probably these frequencies which caused the bottle to be displaced. Imagine an opera singer smashing a wine glass with a sustained note at a certain pitch, or your washing machine waltzing across the kitchen on full spin. Everything has a resonant frequency, and when it is reached things do start to move, oscillate or break. No ghosts or poltergeists needed to explain this!”
He points out that the siting of this stone circle is not alone – there are a number of ancient sites around Crieff built on top of the many faults which make up the mile-wide Highland Boundary Fracture Zone – the fault which seperates the Highlands from the Scottish Lowlands.
Here are some of the local ancient sites which the Crieff man believes are on volcanic anomalies:
Ochtertyre Mausoleum and burial-ground directly on top of the Highland Boundary Fault;
Monzie Burial-ground and church, surrounded by two faults, the HBF and a nearby parallel fault. The river can be seen tumbling over these faults beside the burial-ground;
A prehistoric cup-marked boulder with some 60 carvings on its surface in a field opposite Foulford Inn in the Sma’ Glen, on a parallel fault to the HBF. Cup-marks are sometimes called petroglyphs. These are depressions, sometimes surrounded by one or more circles pecked into boulders, standing stones and the living rock several thousand years ago;
Another cup-marked stone in field to the east of the Comrie-Cultybraggan road on top of fault leading to Lawers house.
The four-stone circle next to the Comrie graveyard on the low Comrie-Crieff road is also on top of this fault;
Cup-marked stone east side of fault running across the Shaggie Burn, in the Sma’ Glen;
Stone circle (kerbed cairn) in Monzie Castle grounds, again on fault where the Knock conglomerates meet the schistose grits;
Four-stone circle on summit of volcanic pluton to the north of Comrie.
apologies if I’ve linked these to the wrong sites – just let me know, and if you know where any others refer to
‘Report on Stone Circles in Perthshire, Principally Strathearn; with measured plans and drawings..’ by Fred R Coles.
This article in the 1910/11 volume of PSAS has sixty-three illustrations and a lot of description.
Excellent local guide to the heart of Perthshire, all sorts of information from accommodation through commentary and local recommendations. Very useful.
This website is dedicated to the megalithic sites of Perthshire. Just now, it focuses on standing stones, stone circles, and ring cairns, but with time it will hopefully expand to include other megalithic sites in Perthshire. Contains an impressive listing of all the standing stones, stone circles and ring cairns in Perthshire (including possible and destroyed sites).
Standing stones, stone circles and other prehistoric sites in Perthshire.
