EHG5166 - Watching Brief - Land 145m north of Smiddy Bar, Lewiston, Drumnadrochit

An archaeological watching brief was carried out by AOC Archaeology Group in 2017 on land near Lewiston, Drumnadrochit, in advance of the construction of a mixed-use development. Previous archaeological evaluation and excavation in 2017 had identified significant prehistoric archaeological features and artefacts. Additionally, the site lies less than 50m northeast of a Bronze Age cist inhumation burial and a second burial pit. The watching brief was required in order to identify and record further significant archaeological sites prior to their destruction by the development. Fieldwork was carried out intermittently from September to December 2017 as ground works progressed through different areas of the development. An additional nine new archaeological features were uncovered: a Bronze Age cist, prehistoric pits similar to those uncovered during previous works and a post-medieval field boundary. Artefacts recovered included prehistoric pottery, a quartz stone tool, an iron fastener, and a nearly intact Beaker from the cist fill. <1> Subsequent phases of fieldwork were carried out at the site by AOC Archaeology Group (see EHG5167 and EHG5183). During the two programmes of fieldwork in 2017, extensive and significant archaeological remains were excavated, including: prehistoric pits containing prehistoric pottery, coarse stone tools and lithics; a Bronze Age cist burial containing a Beaker vessel; post-medieval storage pits and a post-medieval field boundary. Other phases of fieldwork within adjacent areas of this landscape have been undertaken as part of separate developments, upon which further prehistoric features and cist burials were excavated. A programme of post-excavation work was carried out on the environmental and artefact assemblages, indicating that most of the archaeological features related to Early Neolithic activity. The cist burial is one of six Early Bronze Age burials discovered in the Lewiston site. The grave contained a nearly intact Beaker vessel. <2>