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MHG50574 - Learnie caves 2a, 2b (Smelter's Cave) and 2c - Learnie, Rosemarkie (Burial - Rosemarkie Man)

Summary

The 2016/17 open-area excavations uncovered significant archaeological results, including evidence for iron-working activity and a c. 5th-7th century male inhumation burial.

Type and Period (5)

Protected Status

Full Description

NMRS Report: (30/04/2007 13:38:58)
NH76SE 29 757 608

Large - medium natural cave with well built 1m thick wall - stone faced on both sides - large boulders. 0.3m highacross whole entrance.
Small secondary wall 1.5m into cave from first wall. <1>

This cave is one of 9 caves below Learnie Farm consisting of 3 groups of 3. The floor of the cave is described as being dry with some rocks and pigeon droppings. It is ideal for habitation, 6m high, 4.4m across at entrance, 17m deep. It lies at slightly over 5m above mean sea level, about 3m above high water.
A small scale trial excavation took place here in September 2008. The excavations revealed nothing earlier than 19th century. The cave appears to have been used by cattle for shelter during the 20th century. A series of packed clay floor levels pre-dated this use, and were associated with leather offcuts and worn shoe soles of probable 20th-century date. Across the front of the cave stands a substantial stone wall with an entrance gap. This overlay a shell midden. No dating evidence was recovered from either feature, but the excavators suggest that the shell midden dates from 19th or 20th century. Earlier evidence may be present but was not observed, probably due to the limited extent of the excavation. At the end of the excavation, possible cup marks were noted on the north wall of the cave. <2>

From the results of our 2011-2015 programme of survey and test pitting, we had gathered substantial evidence for lengthy use of the Rosemarkie Caves over the past 2000 years. A number of the caves, in particular the Learnie group, had been visited or occupied sometime during the 7th-9th centuries AD. At 5 metres OD, Learnie 2B is a large cave where a limited excavation took place in August 2006. The exposed floor surface is mostly flat, consisting of sand and rocks with areas of manure below this. The top of two sections of wall are visible running across the cave entrance. In 2006, a small shell midden was found just outside this wall at a depth of 1 metre. In the floor of the cave were found various animal bones including the cranium of a common seal, periwinkle shells and pieces of cut leather and a small girl’s shoe.

Two test pits were excavated in 2013 (Figure 8; Plate 6). Test Pit 1 was located inside the cave along the front of a rough wall built against the north side of the cave. Test Pit 2 was placed at the entrance, up against the northern wall section.

Test Pit 1 contained a sequence of 8 stratified contexts ending at a depth of 118cm (Figure 9). Below the remnants of a modern fire, the upper layers contained post-medieval midden material including ceramics, glass, leather and clay pipe fragments. This material was interpreted as being associated with the low remains of a rubble wall [104] (Plate 7). An intermediate layer [105], contained large stones, animal bone and shells and sherds of possible medieval pottery. Near the base of the pit, a charcoal-rich layer [107] with animal bone and shells may have been hearth material and contained sherds of possible medieval pottery. The lowest archaeological horizon excavated in the pit [108] also contained animal bone and shell. A fragment of animal bone from this layer was selected for submission for radiocarbon dating.

Test Pit 2 provided a chance to look at the construction of wall [204] and to assess the survival of underlying deposits (Figure 10). The wall was well-built of mortar and stone construction (Plate 8) and aligned NNE-SSW. It measures 36 cm wide. A layer of clean sand and stone [205] to the front and back of the wall was interpreted as backfill after the structure went out of use. The wall had cut through a charcoal-rich layer [206] containing a possible hearth layer and animal bone and shell. At the base of the pit was a final archaeological horizon [210] containing charcoal and animal bone, which overlay clean sand and bedrock.

Animal bone from base of deposit at 110cm deep 640‐672 AD Calibrated 1‐sigma (68.2%), 604‐757 AD Calibrated 2‐sigma (95.4%).
Charcoal at 105cm deep from base of context, transition to underlying Context 211. 669‐764 AD Calibrated 1‐sigma (68.2%), 660‐770 AD, Calibrated 2‐sigma (95.4%).
Charcoal from 110cm deep in context 611‐652 AD Calibrated 1‐sigma (68.2%). <3>

Rosemarkie Caves Project Excavation in 2016;
From the results of our 2011-2015 programme of survey and test pitting, we had gathered substantial evidence for lengthy use of the Rosemarkie Caves over the past 2000 years. A number of the caves, in particular the Learnie group, had been visited or occupied sometime during the 7th-9th centuries AD. A test pit evaluation in Learnie 2B had revealed that there was significant potential for surviving archaeological deposits in this cave, which contained a substantial mortared stone wall at the entrance.

The 2016 open-area excavation uncovered significant archaeological results, including evidence for iron-working activity and a c. 5th-7th century male inhumation burial. Found in a dark alcove below a post-medieval cobbled floor and midden deposits, the burial comprised the well-preserved remains of a young male who had suffered severe, multiple trauma to the head. The individual had been placed in an unmarked grave in a recess of the cave. He was situated in an unusual cross-legged position with large stones over the limbs and butchered animal bone over the location of the head. Potentially categorised as a 'deviant burial', this early medieval or 'Pictish' period rite appears to represent a deliberate act to weigh down the individual after death . The skeleton was forensically analysed and facially reonstructed by Dame Sue Black and her team at CAHID, University of Dundee.

Also at the lowest archaeological horizon in the cave, a group of pits and cobbled features associated with considerable iron working residues have shown that metal-working was taking place within a defined area in the rear of the cave. The metal-working area respected the location of the burial, which may provide evidence that there is a relationship between this specialised activity and the burial placement. A sequence of archaeological layers covering the metal-working area, indicates that it took place before or during the early medieval period.

The cave continued to be used at least intermittently through the medieval and post-medieval periods, where there appears to be a phase of significant occupation until a mortared stone wall across the entrance was put out of use. The cave continued to be in use subsequent to this, probably by travellers, who may have been employed specifically in shoe manufacture or repair. <4>

Connections between metalworking and burial practices (in our case the execution and deposition of Rosemarkie Man in Smelter’s Cave (Learnie 2B) have been identified at other late prehistoric sites in Scotland, such as the burial of a woman placed below the slabbed floor of a metal and craft-working structure at Mine Howe in Orkney. Many of the earliest burials recorded on monastic sites such as Whithorn, the Isle of May, Portmahomack, Govan, and St Andrews Kirkhill have also been linked with craft working and industrial activity – especially metalworking. Some of their burials were inserted into craft-working areas at these important centres. The discovery of such a complete skeleton from the Early Medieval period is rare, especially beyond burial complexes such as those recorded at nearby Portmahomack and Balintore. This man’s death, whether brutal murder or a selfless act of sacrifice for the good of the local community, provides the potential to investigate a narrative associated with Late Iron Age and Pictish cultural traditions, and the arrival of Christianity. <5>

(Note - see MHG63097 for 'Rosemarkie Man' burial and MHG63087 for Learnie caves 1a and 1b)

Sources/Archives (7)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 75673 60764 (26m by 20m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH76SE
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	ROSEMARKIE

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