EHG5353 - Watching brief - Dalmore (Phase 4)

A watching brief was undertaken in July and August 2018 by S Farrell in advance of the development of a housing project at Dalmore near Alness further to work undertaken to the north in 2015 (see EHG5164). Topsoil was stripped using a 20-ton back-acting machine with a 2m wide straight-edged bucket; spoil was stockpiled and mostly removed from the site by tipper lorry. Exposed surfaces were examined during the moment of excavation, and cleaned by hand where features were suspected or possible. Work revealed a number of pits and a group of features including post–holes and a possible hearth. C14 dates indicated group of features to date to the Iron Age (2649+24 BP or 714-690 BC) whilst the find of a saddle quern was dated to 2864+24 BP or 938-914 BC, two other pits were dated to the Bronze Age. A hut circle that had been revealed by trial trenching in 2005 was found to have been destroyed by the construction of a works compound undertaken for phase 3. No further archaeological work was proposed for this phase of development. <1>