Investigating the Iron Age Wetlands of South West Scotland

Further work on the crannogs of Galloway

AOC archaeology will be continuing research excavations at Cults Loch in Dumfries and Galloway again this summer, with a three week field season planned for the 24th August to 11th September 2009.

This will be the second major season of excavations at the site, following an evaluatory season in 2007, and forms part of the Scottish Wetlands Archaeology Programme’s campaign of wetland research in Scotland. This project, initiated and funded by Historic Scotland, aims to better understand the complex and often extremely well preserved archaeological remains found in Scotland’s lochs, rivers and peatlands. Last year’s excavations at Cults Loch were very successful, locating the well-preserved remains of a substantial artificial island settlement, a structure probably closely related to the crannogs which are found in large numbers in the south west. The Cults structure was located close to the shore, perhaps using a natural promontory in the loch, forming a wooden platform held together by hundreds of piles. Much of the wood found on the site was very well preserved, with axe-marks still fresh and clearly visible. Rubbing stones and pounders indicate that the people using the site were processing cereals, while a fragment of a shale bracelet found during the excavations is evidence of the jewellery and personal adornment of early Iron Age people in the area.

This year, AOC hope to uncover more of the structure and gain further insights into the nature of the building that stood on the shore of Cults Loch around two and a half thousand years ago. As always, we would like to encourage as much public involvement in this unique project as possible. If you would like to take part in the excavations, which take place between 24th August and 11th September 2009, please email graeme.cavers@aocarchaeology.com.

Alternatively, come along to our Open Day on Saturday the 5th of September, or follow the progress of the excavation with our web diary.

Project Directors: Anne Crone and Graeme Cavers