EHG3191 - Archaeological excavation and watching brief, Cartomie, Edderton

Ten cairns, forming the SW part of a larger cairnfield were recorded and investigated in advance of a new access road. Before any ground-breaking work was carried out, a plan of the site was made, using a plane table, at 1:100. Three of the cairns were entirely within the wayleave whilst the other seven would be cut across by topsoil stripping. Two low-spread linear banks were also noted to cross the wayleave. Two of the cairns (Cairns 4 and 6) were partially excavated. The works were then allowed to continue and a watching brief was maintained during the removal of the remainder of these two cairns and during topsoil stripping over another seven as well as the linear banks. One cairn (Cairn 1) was removed entirely by means of mechanical excavation under archaeological supervision. The cairns proved to consist of mounded subsoil, with a superficial overburden of cobbles possibly representing later field clearance, and overlay a former ground surface from which flints and coarse pottery were recovered. No human remains were encountered. <1>