EHG3006 - Excavation - Applecross Broch, Wester Ross (2008 Season)

Technique(s)

EXCAVATION

Organisation

Applecross Broch Community Archaeology Project

Date

July 2008

Images (28)

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Pre-broch passage entrance [0460] © Cathy Dagg. id: 66620 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Planning in progress, overlooking T4 © Cathy Dagg. id: 66616 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Dark fill overlying [0476] in possible souterrain passage entrance © Cathy Dagg. id: 66602 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Metal working area and burnt layer next to it © Cathy Dagg. id: 66597 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Metal-working evidence in photo centre, in T6, showing a dark ashy fill around it and substantial amount of stone cobble below it © Cathy Dagg. id: 66592 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Probably metal-working remains [0610] © Cathy Dagg. id: 66581 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Close-up inside Cut (0604) excavated © Cathy Dagg. id: 66576 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Possible wall [0607] in back, rubble overlying the metal-working evidence in foreground © Cathy Dagg. id: 66573 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Excavating over rubble wall [0607] in T6 © Cathy Dagg. id: 66569 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Line of stone slabs laid against inner wall inner face in T4 © Cathy Dagg. id: 66568 (click to view a larger version of this image)

T5 during excavation © Cathy Dagg. id: 66563 (click to view a larger version of this image)

N end of T6 © Cathy Dagg. id: 66562 (click to view a larger version of this image)

T6 during excavation; rubble overlying feature that will emerge below © Cathy Dagg. id: 66560 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Overview of T2: notice end of gallery [0453] and structural fill between walls in top centre of photo © Cathy Dagg. id: 66550 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Overview of T4, photo shows slabbed surface [0432] in bottom centre of photo amidst rubble © Cathy Dagg. id: 66548 (click to view a larger version of this image)

SE site edge with inner wall passage [0437] in centre of photo; photo shows confusion and lack of definition over outer walls here © Cathy Dagg. id: 66546 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Overview of T1, S quadrant of site, [0440] visible between inner/outer walls; photo shows how much more solid the outer wall look compared to inner wall © Cathy Dagg. id: 66545 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Outer broch wall outer face in N side of T4? Or secondary poorly rebuilt wall face for later entrance-corner of S entrance face wall [0457] © Cathy Dagg. id: 66528 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Overlooking T4 intramural gallery [0419] with outer wall rubble—showing lack of definable outer wall outer face © Cathy Dagg. id: 66527 (click to view a larger version of this image)

T4 intramural gallery curved stop wall [0418] © Cathy Dagg. id: 66523 (click to view a larger version of this image)

T4 intramural gallery, photo shows lack of definition in outer wall here © Cathy Dagg. id: 66521 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Inner broch wall [0409] emerging by intramural gallery [0414]; notice the narrow width of the wall © Cathy Dagg. id: 66506 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Looking over passage entrance [0460] and slabbed path [0476] outside it © Cathy Dagg. id: 66499 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Overview of T4, planning in progress. Unexcavated dark soil deposit (0468) in centre. Photo shows noticeable lack of rubble and outer wall in far corner of trench (E site corner) in top centre of photo © Ross and Cromarty Archaeological Services. id: 66494 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Looking along the structure's entrance [0455] along S wall [0457] with the steepness of it clearly visible; also shows good view of the steps [0458] © Ross and Cromarty Archaeological Services. id: 66488 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Inner and outer broch wall and intramural gallery overview in T1; 'Outer' wall [0423] visible behind outer broch wall © Ross and Cromarty Archaeological Services. id: 66486 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Overall view, E side of site during excavation with entrance [0455] in centre; Trench 4 is in the top right corner; photo shows the notable the lack of definition between the inner/outer broch walls in top half of photo-possible platform areas © Ross and Cromarty Archaeological Services. id: 66485 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Cannel coal bangle fragment © North of Scotland Archaeology Society. id: 66481 (click to view a larger version of this image)

Documents (3)

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SHG26082_Applecross_Broch_2006-10.pdf — Fieldwork report © Applecross Archaeology Society. id: 120198 (click to open this file in a new window)

SHG24748_Applecross_Broch_2005-07.pdf — 2007 season excavation report © Highland Archaeology Services Ltd and The Authors. id: 118457 (click to open this file in a new window)

SHG24224_Applecross_Broch_2008.pdf — Interim fieldwork report © Applecross Archaeology Society and the authors. id: 118016 (click to open this file in a new window)

Description

Archaeological excavations were carried out by Applecross Broch Community Archaeology Project assisted by professional archaeologists, over two weeks in July 2008, for the third season of investigations at the broch site at Applecross, Wester Ross. A third quadrant, trench 4, was opened on the eastern side of the site. The possible souterrain located in the extension of trench 2 was also further explored. An additional three outlying trenches, trenches 5, 6 and 7, were opened in an effort to understand the extent of the site. Three phases of occupation were revealed: pre-broch usage, the broch occupation and later restructuring of the broch. <1> <2> A full report on all the investigations from 2006 to 2010 has also been produced. <3>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

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Map layers

Base layers

Bing Aerial
Ordnance Survey

Info

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Record list

Tools

5 m

Location

Location	Applecross Broch
Grid reference	Centred NG 71183 44330 (29m by 24m) (4 map features)
Map sheet	NG74SW
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Operational Area	ROSS SKYE AND LOCHABER
Civil Parish	APPLECROSS

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

MHG7680 Broch - Applecross (Borrodale) (Monument)

External Links (0)

Record last edited

Aug 2 2021 5:52PM

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