Monument record MHG51630 - Neolithic occupation - Culduthel, Inverness

Evidence for occupation in the Neolithic period was exposed and recorded at Culduthel during an evaluation in 2005 and an excavation in 2007 by Headland Archaeology. The majority of the features, mainly pits, were dated to the Early to Middle Neolithic with an enclosure (Enclosure A) also dated to this period. The pits were small and either contained evidence of burning in the form of charcoal rich deposits with stones affected by heat or had pottery and other artefacts deliberately deposited within them. The pottery formed the basis for their dating which was c. 3600/3500-3300 BC. Radiocarbon dates backed up the pottery analysis. The most obvious interpretation of the pits containing in-situ burning was that they were cooking pits. Several Late Neolithic pits also appeared to have a degree of ritual attached to their creation. Pit 1205 in Group 3 appeared to have originally been a hearth pit into which had been deposited 195 pieces of flint, mostly flakes and chips, representing an entire knapping sequence. Pit 808 may have related to funerary activity though it only contained a small amount of unidentifiable bone. Pottery from two vessels as well as worked flint had been deliberately deposited amongst the burnt deposit at the base of the pit before it had been backfilled. The series of small postholes forming an arc to the north of the pit also had burnt bone, flint and pottery from the same vessel found in the pit which suggested that they were contemporary. <1> <2> <3>