EHG2916 - Excavation - Culduthel Phases 7 & 8, Inverness

An excavation was undertaken by Headland Archaeology in advance of Phases 7 and 8 of housing development at Culduthel Farm, Inverness, in 2007. A 5% evaluation conducted in 2005 (see EHG1344) had identified prehistoric features across the site. A total of 5.2ha was stripped between under archaeological supervision, uncovering over 300 prehistoric features including a cremation burial, a possible inhumation, three roundhouses, part of an enclosure, part of a palisade, the remains of a small bowl furnace for iron smelting/smithing, and a cobbled work surface. Approximately 980 sherds of pottery were recovered from these features, dating from the middle Neolithic to Bronze Age. Other finds recovered included several saddle querns, c280 pieces of flint, a decorated copper alloy pin, c20kg of iron slag and several iron objects including a small knife blade. An alignment of 19 pits, two of which were stone-lined, was found on the highest part of the site and appear to be associated with post-medieval agricultural activity. <1> A draft publication report for the site has been produced. <2>