Monument record MHG55808 - Mesolithic pit - Slackbuie Way, Inverness

A watching brief in 2010 by GUARD along the proposed line of the Inverness Flood Relief scheme south of Inverness at Slackbuie following previous evaluation and excavation phases produced evidence of 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.

In Area A a total of 8 features were exposed and excavated. Several of the pits contained charcoal flecks, small burnt bone fragments, hazelnut shell fragments and in one pit, fragments of prehistoric pottery. <1>

Post-excavation work, including the obtaining of radiocarbon dates and environmental sample analysis has further refined the dating of the features found in Area A of the watching brief. One of the pits, 0009, returned a radiocarbon date of 6530-6390 cal BC (late Mesolithic) from charcoal. <2>

<1> Kilpatrick, M C, 07/2010, Inverness Flood Relief Channel: Data Structure Report (Text/Report/Fieldwork Report). SHG25320.

<2> Kilpatrick, M.C., 2012, Relieving Floods, Revealing History: Early Prehistoric Activity at Knocknagael Farm in South-West Inverness (Text/Publication/Article). SHG23404.