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MHG39320 - Mound, occupatiuon site - Thusater Burn

Summary

No summary available.

Type and Period (2)

Protected Status

Full Description

Two adjoining hut circles (see MHG369) and a mound, all grass-covered. The hut circles, 5m in diameter with some stone visible and a possible entrance, lie NW-SE, possibly on a platform. There is rig and furrow nearby. The mound is subcircular, 15 by 9 by 2m high, composed mainly of turf. There are two circular depressions, about 3m in diameter, in the centre. <1>

A magnetometry survey was undertaken over the mound by ORCA in 2018. The survey had been commissioned by the Caithness Broch Project and covered an area of 4800m². It revealed responses consistent with the presence of prehistoric domestic human occupation and / or enhanced soils. An anomaly appearing as a sub-oval band of high positive responses measuring 8m wide and 26m in diameter appears to encircle the mound, perhaps with a further, weaker concentric oval approximately 10m outside. The nature of the anomaly is consistent with the presence of an archaeological feature and may represent a large ditch or bank. The mound itself is covered with a series of amorphous anomalies of corresponding, high positive and negative responses over an area of 32m by 30m. This anomaly is quite amorphous but may form a sub-oval or sub-rectangular shape. The nature of the anomaly is characteristic of the presence of archaeological deposits which may be directly associated with structural remains. It should be noted that the possibility remains, some of the identified anomalies may be at least partly geological or pedological in nature.

Archaeological trial trenches were excavated by ORCA in 2018 over the mound. The work again commissioned by the Caithness Broch Project and comprised the hand excavation of three trenches. The location of the trenches was guided by the results of the geophysical survey previously undertaken in order to contribute to the understanding of the monument, which had previously been recorded as a hut-circle, but may represent a broch or a ‘wag’. It was also undertaken as an outreach excavation, providing the local community and visitors with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in archaeology. All three excavated trenches revealed archaeological features consistent with that anticipated by the geophysical survey results. Rubble and stony deposits containing artefacts were encountered, together with a hearth constructed of orthostats, a base-slab and packing stones. These features confirmed the presence of extensive later prehistoric structural remains on site which seemed to be domestic in nature. Further investigation would be required to characterise the monument more fully and understand how it might fit into wider understanding of the later prehistoric landscape of Caithness. <2>

Mercer's description of the mound from 1981 is somewhat at odds with its current appearance, its apparent depiction on the OS 1st Edition 1:2500 map and the results of the 2018 magnetometry survey. On the historic OS map, two distinct parallel areas of rough ground are shown, the western of which does conform to Mercer's measurements but it is more leaf-shaped than 'sub-circular'. The eastern area measures c. 30m x 11m (at its widest) and is a more elongated shape. Mercer doesn't indicate where the mound is located in relation to the two conjoined hut circles. [IS-L 26/04/2023]

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred ND 0627 7026 (60m by 60m)
Map sheet	ND07SE
Civil Parish	THURSO
Geographical Area	CAITHNESS

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Related Investigations/Events (2)

External Links (1)