Turning up pieces of Perthshire’s history
The team excavating an Iron Age hillfort on Perth’s Craigie Hill report “impressive” progress.
The archaeological dig started out in April, and the team on the Moredun Top hillfort dig have created a number of trenches to help excavate and explore the Iron Age site.
One of their trenches has revealed a 1.8m high wall with an adjoining paved area, which archaeologists on the hill say could be a large post pad, suggesting there was once a ‘substantial superstructure’ on top of it at one point.
A second trench, which was opened after the discovery of a stretch of wall during archaeological excavations last year, is now thought to have formed part of an enclosure, following further digs in the past few weeks.
The team also reported finding a hammer stone within this trench.
The team has opened up a further new trench called the Pond Trench, which is in a low, wet area below the summit of Moredun Top.
The team says this may show the presence of a rock-cut cistern for storing water, but add it could be the result of quarrying, as much of the stone used to build the hillfort is local to the area.
Samples taken from the excavation site have been taken for testing, including a number of burnt embers found, which they archaeologists believe may represent flooring, fallen roof, or a hearth.
The dig is being organised by the Tay Landscape Partnership and the Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust as part of VisitScotland’s Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology 2017.
PKHT, supported by the Gannochy Trust, is holding events up to October. More details at www.pkht.org.uk Excavating at Moredun Top