Aberdeenshire HER - NJ50NW0080 - HILLHEAD, BLACKHILLS

Main Details

Primary ReferenceNJ50NW0080
NameHILLHEAD, BLACKHILLS
NMRS Card No. 
NMRS Numlink 
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

National Grid Reference: NJ 5093 0715


Easting: 347700, Northing: 813400

CompilerCP
Date of Compilation16/06/2014

Event Details

Event DateEvent Type
1905 Fieldwalking
1905 Excavation
1905 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.
 2013CORDED POTTERYNESARS Fieldwalking  
 2013WORKED FLINTNESARS Fieldwalking  
 2013BARBED-AND-TANGED ARROWHEADNESARS Fieldwalking  
 2013QUERNSTONE FRAGMENTNESARS Fieldwalking  
 2013CUP-MARKED STONENESARS Fieldwalking  
 2013STONE BOWLNESARS Fieldwalking  
 2014CHARCOALNESARS Excavation  

Ecofact

SamplesCharcoal 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

Google Map for NJ50NW0080


National Status

Regional Status


Photo Details


Bibliographic Detail

Bib Ref NoTitleAuthorDateOthersEditorPublishedDetailsDate MDate Y
01633BLACKHILLS FIELD SURVEY MARCH TO JULY 2013 2013   Fieldwalking report 2013
16499HILLHEAD (BLACKILLS) EVALUATION. TARLAND, ABERDEENSHIRE 2014Y  DSR 2014
01642HILLHEAD 2015 - NEW CIRCULAR FEATURE INVESTIGATION 2015     2015
11474DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND. NEW SERIES, VOLUME 15, 2014 2015   p.36 2015

Location

Historic Administrative Area Name Tarland
Positional Accuracy Centred at
Buffer Zone 1-5m
Buffer Type Bespoke
Capture Scale 1:2501 - 1:10,000
Spatial Feature Type Polygon: Known Event Extent

Environment

Constraints Privately owned, access by arrangement - difficult access.
Altitude335
Geology 
Topography Summit
Aspect 1SW
Aspect 2 Open
Current Land Use Coniferous Woodland
Vegetation
Soil Type 
Hydrology 

Measurements

Plan 
Shape 1
Shape 2
Diameter 
Length 
Width 
Thickness 
Depth 
Area 
Height 

Historic Land Use


Period Details

PeriodOrderProbabilityRadiocarbon DatesDate BuiltDate of DestructionDate of Loss
Prehistoric period uncertain A100    
Bronze Age (2200 BC - 800 BC) B1001026 BC - 850 BC   
Bronze Age (2200 BC - 800 BC) B100918 BC - 812 BC   

Period Notes

Period Notes Radiocarbon dates: SUERC-56971 (GU35762), alder charcoal - 2801 +/-29, calibrated to 1026-850 BC (2 sigma, OxCal 4.2 run 05/01/15); SUERC-56972(GU35763), alder charcoal - 2721+/-29, calibrated to 918 - 812 BC (2 sigma, OxCal 4.2 run 05/01/15).

Architect Details

Architect Details

Maritime Archaeology

Nationality 
Craft Type
Departure Place 
Destination 
Manner of Loss
Registration Place 
Associated Goods 
Construction Material
Tonnage 
Tonnage Unit
Depth 
Additional Info