EHG6065 - Watching brief and excavation - new prison site, Eastfield Way, Inverness

An archaeological watching brief and subsequent excavations were undertaken by AOC Archaeology Group in 2022 ahead of the construction of His Majesty’s Prison Service (HMP) Highland at Eastfield Way, Inverness. The programme of archaeological works was undertaken concurrent with the initial topsoil removal. Previous phases of evaluation and excavation had revealed the presence of significant prehistoric archaeology present on the site. Excavation revealed over 730 archaeological features along with deposits across the site. These represented at least sixteen roundhouses, many of which had been identified and partially excavated during two previous phases of work on the site. More than half of the features consisted of postholes and stakeholes, most of which related to the roundhouses, which were also associated with two palisade ditch enclosures, one post-defined enclosure and one ditch-defined roundhouse. The site also contained numerous fire-pit or hearth features, midden/refuse pits and possible kiln pits. Many of the pit features represent multi-period prehistoric activity, including probable Neolithic pit groups. In one area of the site, an iron-smithing hearth was located at the centre of a roundhouse. Evidence for iron working (scattered slag and fired clay) was present in many of the pits and postholes across the area. The presence of clay mould fragments was also associated with high status metal-working. The artefacts recovered from the site include the mould fragments and iron-working debris, 27 fragments of prehistoric pottery four iron objects including two ring-shaped objects, eight struck lithics, and a number of coarse stone artefacts including whetstones, quernstone fragments and other worked or shaped stone artefacts. The archaeological remains uncovered represent significant prehistoric remains and fill in much of the picture of the archaeology of the surrounding landscape, which contained extensive prehistoric settlement and funerary sites. A full programme of post-excavation analysis and publication was recommended. <1>