EHG5697 - Watching brief - Inverness West Link Road, Phase 2

An archaeological watching brief was carried out by AOIC Archaeology Group in 2019 on land to the west side of the Caledonian Canal, southwest of the Tomnahurich Swing Bridge, as part of the Inverness West Link Road Phase 2. Phase 2 of the new road scheme will complete the new transport network through Inverness. Archaeological monitoring for the creation of the new canal crossing over the Caledonian Canal, Scheduled Monument 6499, has been reported on elsewhere. Previous archaeological works in the immediate vicinity at Canal Park to the southeast for Phase 1 of the West Link Road and on land to the northwest for the new Torvean Golf Course demonstrated the presence of significant multi-period prehistoric archaeological remains, together with medieval and later remains. This phase of works comprises archaeological watching brief and immediate excavation, in a landscape location between these two sites. The work was required in order to identify and record further significant archaeological sites prior to their destruction by the development. Approximately 400-410 truncated archaeological features were excavated, with most of these comprising the remains of prehistoric activity dating from at least the Neolithic period. One area of the site contained a Bronze Age pit cremation burial site, comprising 8 burials containing urned and un- urned cremated remains. Five pits contained ceramic urns, all of which had been partially truncated prior to discovery. Three pits contained un-urned cremated bone deposits, from two of which a copper alloy object and ceramic funerary cup were recovered as grave goods. Groups and spreads of pits survived in varying degrees of preservation, usually within clusters of three or more pits containing a mixture of ceramic vessel fragments (undecorated and decorated), struck flint flakes and tools, the occasional cobble tool, and carbonised material including hazelnut shells. Adjacent to one significant pit group, a large, deep V-profile pit was interpreted as a possible displaced standing stone-hole. Other large pits were present, including one deep circular pit with multiple burnt layers, suggesting a use a cooking pit. Some smaller pits were interpreted as fire-pits or hearths on the basis of evidence for in situ burning and fire-cracked stone. While many of the pits are believed to be Neolithic in date, there are likely multiple periods of use represented. Two definite post-defined roundhouses and one ditch-defined roundhouse were excavated, with the largest post-defined house measuring 15m in diameter and the smaller houses measuring 5.5-6m in diameter. A deposit of cremated bone had been inserted into the top of one large post-hole in the bigger house. A third probable small roundhouse and three probable four-post-hole structures were recorded on the site. There were also several small post- and stake-hole alignments identified. Many of these appeared to represent timber lean-to or sub-semi-circular structures or shelters for living or work areas measuring 5-7m across. Other possible structures were defined by curvilinear ditched slots or pits enclosing similarly sized areas. One intriguing site appeared as a large sunken suboval feature, measuring 9m by 7m overall. It contained a central pit with cobbles overlying an extensive compact layer of mostly small stones in the base of the larger cut (measuring 4m x 5m). Prehistoric ceramic vessel fragments were recovered from upper layers. The excavation uncovered an extensive area of archaeology below ploughsoil and landscaped ground levels, all of which had been partially or extensively truncated. The result has provided a significant assemblage of prehistoric artefacts and the layouts of multiperiod prehistoric structures and activity, to include roundhouses, shelters, cooking pits and a funerary site. This site, together with the recent material unearthed in the adjacent fields, is continuing to build up the picture of prehistoric settlement in Inverness. In addition to the prehistoric archaeology, a number of suboval or subrectangular pits were interpreted as post-medieval storage pits. These features appeared remarkably similar to an extensive area of similarly sized (c.1.5-2m long) subrectangular or subcircular pits at the new Torvean Golf Course in 2017. All of the West Link Road pits contained homogenous, sterile sandy loam fills within straight- sided, flat-based pits believed to have been spade dug used for the purpose of long-term vegetable storage in areas of well-draining ground. One of the pits had been constructed with a cobble-lined floor, presumably for improved drainage. <1>