EHG3509 - Auger survey and test pitting - Langwell Farm

The site of a previously excavated cist was investigated by archaeologists from GUARD and NOSAS in August 2009. An auger survey revealed that the cist had been set into a curving, naturally raised area of sands and gravels. Profiling of nearby peat deposits, using Kubiena monolith tins, suggests that the course of the river Oykel had at one time run directly alongside this raised area. The underside of the cist top-slab was examined for the first time, but no markings were evident. No further cists were revealed by the auger survey although it was noted that a substantial concentration of river cobbles may represent the remains of a robbed cairn. Though there was no compelling evidence to suggest other cists were ever present in the vicinity, the possibility does remain that the very stony character of the area may have prevented the identification of any underlying cists. Two environmental bulk samples were taken from deposits that were frozen at the time of the February 2009 excavation and will be included in any future post-excavation work. <1> The findings of the earlier excavation and the environmental work were subsequently published. <2>