Monument record MHG55809 - Early neolithic pits - 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 pits contained charcoal flecks, small burnt bone fragments, hazelnut shell fragments and in one, 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, 003, returned a radiocarbon date of 3640-3500 cal BC (early neolithic) from charcoal. This pit contained eleven fragments of pottery from two or three different vessels, thirty one lithic artefact fragments, including one from a leaf-shaped arrowhead and a number of small burnt animal bone fragments from sheep/goat or roe deer. Charcoal was derived from alder, hazel, willow, oak and birch. Other pits were undated but contained similar fills and finds assemblages. <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.