Monument record MHG55806 - Later prehistoric occupation - Slackbuie Way, Inverness

An evaluation in 2009 by GUARD along the proposed line of the Inverness Flood Relief scheme south of Inverness at Slackbuie produced sparse evidence of possibly later prehistoric occupation. The work covered a linear route from Essich Road (NH 656 414) to Culduthel Road (NH 668 414) in the west and an area of land at Slackbuie in the east. A total of 40 trenches were opened, two of which revealed deposits of an archaeological nature. In trench 12 a possible pit cut into the subsoil and an area of burning above the topsoil which were both undated and sealed by hillwash were recorded.

Following the evaluation an area around trench 12 was subsequently opened up by GUARD for excavation. In this area, designated Trench 1, a number of postholes and pits mostly cut into the subsoil along the edge of an old, and dry, watercourse were exposed and excavated. A large pit contained charcoal-rich material which was interpreted as a possible fire pit and a further small pit may have been a hearth. The widely-spaced postholes did not form the remains of an obvious structure and a gully in the northwest end of the trench may have had a structural origin. The features were undated due to the lack of finds but a later prehistoric date was inferred. <1>

The findings of the evaluation and excavation phases were also included and discussed in a subsequent report on a watching brief also carried out by GUARD in 2010. <2>

Post-excavation work, including the obtaining of radiocarbon dates and environmental sample analysis has further refined the dating of the features found in the excavation area Trench 1. One of the pits, 1020, returned a radio-carbon date of 3130-2920 cal BC (neolithic) while a second pit (1041) produced a date of 1450-1390 cal BC (middle Bronze Age). <3>

<1> Kilpatrick, M C, 2009, Inverness South-West Flood Relief Channel: Data Structure Report (Text/Report/Fieldwork Report). SHG24524.

<2> Kilpatrick, M C, 07/2010, Inverness Flood Relief Channel: Data Structure Report (Text/Report/Fieldwork Report). SHG25320.

<3> Kilpatrick, M.C., 2012, Relieving Floods, Revealing History: Early Prehistoric Activity at Knocknagael Farm in South-West Inverness (Text/Publication/Article). SHG23404.