Aberdeenshire HER - NJ50NW0080 - HILLHEAD, BLACKHILLS

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Main Details

Primary ReferenceNJ50NW0080
NameHILLHEAD, BLACKHILLS
NRHE Card No. 
NRHE Numlink
HES SM No. NULL
HES LB No. NULL
Site Form Standing Structure
Site Condition Incomplete
Details Remains of a cairn, possible hut platforms and worked flint recorded by field survey. An archaeological fieldwalking survey was carried out by NESARS in 2013 following forestry felling of the area around what is now known to be the remains of a recumbent stone circle (NJ50NW0056 - at the time of survey thought to be a hut circle). The area had been open moorland until the trees were planted in the mid 20th century (possibly the late 1960s). A total of circa 12 ha were fieldwalked, the area around the stone circle walked intensively in 20m grids, the rest in transects every 10m. The intensive survey recorded a high density of worked quartz and flint, but four sherds of Beaker pottery and a barbed and tanged arrowhead were also recovered. Fieldwalking of the transects recorded a circular feature comprising four large boulders linked by stone construction ('walls') at NJ5099807066. There is also a cairn closed to the summit of the hill (NJ 5106 0725) Several pieces of worked flint were found across the area, of mixed size and function. Other finds included a possible quernstone fragment, possible stone bowl fragments, cup-marked stone, hammer stone. Topographic survey of the circular feature revealed a platform circa 18 m in diameter. Subsequent excavation in June 2014 revealed the full extent of a revetted platform with an internal structural feature (possibly a hut circle) of later Bronze Age date (NJ50NW0096). Further walkover surveys have also now identified at least seven potential hut platforms. A possible circular feature has been identified in the area of NJ5080007214, where an intensity of worked quartz and flint was recorded by the 2013 fieldwalking.
Last Update20/06/2023
Updated Bycpalmer
CompilerCP
Date of Compilation16/06/2014

Google Map for NJ50NW0080

National Grid Reference: NJ 5093 0715



Event Details

Event DateEvent TypeOASIS ID
2013 Fieldwalking
2014 Excavation connolly1-195255
2014 Field Survey

Excavations and Surveys

Date MDate YTypeDurationDirector / OrganisationAuspicesFundExtent
52013 Survey  NESARS   
62014 Excavation  NESARS; CHC   
 2014 Survey  NESARS   

Artefact and Ecofact

Date MDate YArtefact TypeFinderRecovery MethodConditionStorage LocationAccess No.
 2013 CORDED POTTERY NESARS Fieldwalking  
 2013 WORKED FLINT NESARS Fieldwalking  
 2013 BARBED-AND-TANGED ARROWHEAD NESARS Fieldwalking  
 2013 QUERNSTONE FRAGMENT NESARS Fieldwalking  
 2013 CUP-MARKED STONE NESARS Fieldwalking  
 2013 STONE BOWL NESARS Fieldwalking  
 2014 CHARCOAL NESARS Excavation  

Ecofact

Samples Charcoal samples from circular feature taken for radiocarbon dating.
Palynology
Ecofact Notes

Monument Types

Monument Type 1Monument Type 2Monument Type 3OrderProbability
FLINTSWORKED A100
ENCLOSURES  B100
CAIRNS REMAINS OFC100
QUERN-STONES FRAGMENTD75
ARROWHEADS BARBED & TANGEDE100
POTTERY  F100
STONES CUP-MARKEDG75
BOWLSSTONE H75
HAMMER-STONES  I90
CHARCOAL  J100
HUT-PLATFORMS  K90
PLATFORMS REMAINS OFL100
HUT-CIRCLES REMAINS OFM100