Excavations at Carnoustie produced exceptional archaeological results from the prehistoric past. The remains of the longest early Neolithic timber hall so far found in Scotland were identified. Beside it were the postholes and pits of another contemporary but less well preserved large hall. A final but smaller timber hall was constructed at one end but within the footprint of the largest timber hall. This latter structure indicated the importance of the place and the perpetuation of ideologies and traditions of the earlier building. During the later Neolithic, other evidence included the sparse remains of an oval house built over the remains of one timber hall with temporary re-occupation of part of another. The main focus of activities during the middle and late Neolithic were groups of pits whose presence indicated changes in social structure and possibly economic conditions.
A period of abandonment with only sporadic use of the area during the early Bronze Age was followed by a roundhouse settlement. A small number of buildings of the middle and late Bronze Age were replaced in rotation. The last buildings were intimately associated with a rare late Bronze Age metalwork hoard, buried close to them. The hoard included a sword, spearhead with gold decoration and a long pin wrapped in textile and sheep-skin.
Arvustused
'In this site report, the desk-based assessment, excavation, and post-excavation analysis are clearly and precisely documented, allowing the results of an important project to be fully appreciated.' Dr Kathryn Krakowka (2026): Current Archaeology, issue 433
Summary
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Contributors
Part 1: The Background to the Project Warren Bailie, Alan Hunter Blair and
Beverley Ballin Smith
Introduction
Site location, topography and geology
Archaeological background
Aims and objectives - Warren Bailie
Methodologies used
Archives and finds disposal
The main research questions of the project
Part 2: The Excavation Results Alan Hunter Blair and Beverley Ballin Smith
Topsoil and plough marks
Mesolithic traces
Early Neolithic timber structures
Evidence of the Bronze Age
The Bronze Age hoard
Later structures
Part 3: Dating
The radiocarbon dates Beverley Ballin Smith
Archaeomagnetic studies of two fired features from Carnoustie Samuel E
Harris and Cathy M Batt
Part 4: Environmental Evidence
Introduction Beverley Ballin Smith
Archaeobotany Susan Ramsay
Animal bone Catherine Smith
Soil micromorphology Carol Lang
Multi-element analysis Dorothy McLaughlin
Part 5: Material Culture Evidence
Introduction Beverley Ballin Smith
Lithic assemblage Torben Bjarke Ballin
Use-ware analysis on stone tools Peter Bye Jensen
Stone artefacts Beverley Ballin Smith and Alison Sheridan
Pottery Beverley Ballin Smith
Clay and fired clay Beverley Ballin Smith
Part 6: The Late Bronze Age Metal Hoard Warren Bailie, Alan Hunter Blair,
Jordan Barbour, Esther Cameron, Trevor Cowie, Jane Evans, Susanna Harris,
Raphael Hermann, Will Murray, Peter Northover, Brendan OConnor, Vanessa
Pashley, Ernst Pernicka, Susan Ramsay, Alison Sheridan, Beth Spence and Lore
Troalen
Introduction Warren Bailie and Alan Hunter Blair
The initial assessment Beth Spence and Will Murray
Specialist study and analysis Warren Bailie, Esther Cameron, Jane Evans,
Susanna Harris, Raphael Hermann, Will Murray, Peter Northover, Brendan
OConnor, Vanessa Pashley, Susan Ramsay, Alison Sheridan and Lore Troalen
The radiocarbon date
Metallurgical analysis Peter Northover
Discussion Alison Sheridan
Post-depositional processes affecting the hoard Jordan Barbour
Part 7: General Discussion Beverley Ballin Smith
The changing landscape and environment
The early Neolithic
The Bronze Age
Early medieval and later uses of the site
Part 8: General Conclusions Beverley Ballin Smith
The changing patterns of life at Carnoustie
Part 9: Afterword
Answering the research questions Beverley Ballin Smith
Community involvement and outreach Warren Bailie
Bibliography
Index
Beverley Ballin Smith is the Publications Manager for GUARD Archaeology and editor of ARO (Archaeology Reports Online). She also specialises in the analysis of prehistoric pottery and coarse stone tools. She has published widely: the Howe Broch and the Crantit Tomb, both on Orkney; the Neolithic and Bronze Age aspects of Iain Crawfords work on the Udal, North Uist; and with Barbara Crawford on the Norse site of the Biggings at Papa Stour, Shetland.
Alan Hunter Blair has over 20 years experience working on and directing a wide range of rural and urban archaeological projects in Scotland and England, including major projects such as the prehistoric Carnoustie excavation in Angus and the medieval to post-medieval Tram Scheme in Edinburgh. He has co-authored several published reports on these excavations.
Warren Bailie is the Managing Director for GUARD Archaeology and has more than 20 years experience in commercial archaeology. During this time, he has directed a wide range of archaeological excavations dating from the Mesolithic to the post-medieval across Ireland and Scotland, and has managed major archaeological works including at St Kilda and the Antonine Wall.
