Monument record MHG55813 - Late Iron Age 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 D two features was exposed and excavated. One was a large pit containing sub-rounded cobbles and cahrcoal fragments and was interpreted as a possible fire pit. The other was a shallow scoop filled with charcoal-rich deposits. <1>

Post-excavation work, including the obtaining of radiocarbon dates and environmental sample analysis has further refined the interpretation of the features found in Area D of the watching brief. The larger feature, 065, remained undated. The second feature contained birch charcoal and returned a radiocarbon date og 400-560 cal AD (late Iron Age). It was considered that the use of birch may have implied a structural origin for the feature. <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.