Site Event/Activity record EHG3958 - Excavation - Nybster Broch, Canisbay (2005)

Excavations were undertaken by AOC Archaeology Group and students from Nottingham University in July 2005 for 4 weeks to further investigate the archaeology at Nybster Broch, Canisbay. Trenches were opened on the roundhouse wall and interior, in two of the cellular outbuildings and in a rectilinear outbuilding. Whilst investigations of the roundhouse wall failed to uncover any inter-mural architectural features consistent with a broch, the interior trenches revealed a hearth, various internal partitions and tanks together with an associated floor layer. Numerous pottery sherds, stone objects and bone tools were also recovered from the broch interior. In the exterior buildings, features that had been subject to previous antiquarian excavations by Sir Francis Tress Barry in 1885-86, contained little meaningful archaeology. In the relatively untouched cellular building a floor layer with associated hearth and paving was uncovered with a notable pottery assemblage and other finds including a range of bone objects and a single bronze spiral finger ring. <1> <2> Note: OS Mastermap appears to be incorrect for this area. GIS data as supplied: larger season 2 shape does not match site plan.