Excavation of a Neolithic occupation site at Chepelfield, Cowie, Stirling

Abstract

Pits and oval structures dating from the Meso to the Early and Mid Neo. Pottery and lithics also present. Later Beaker pot radiocarbon dated to 3050--2450 cal BC. There are separately authored reports on:

Developer-funded fieldwork in Scotland, 1990-2003

“…At other sites many of the cut features are too amorphous to be interpreted, but hearths, pits (often with hazelnut shells) and post-holes, probably representing windbreak structures, have been identified. At Chapelfield, Stirling, three pits containing carbonized material, but no lithics, were dated to the later Mesolithic period (Atkinson 2002). The site was also occupied throughout the Neolithic when further pits were dug.…”

“…Some structures have been excavated. Small Neolithic round and oval houses have been excavated at Chapelfield where oval stake-built structures were dated to the earlier Neolithic (Atkinson 2002). At Spurryhillock Junction a curving length of ditch and a cluster of pits were associated with Unstan Ware (Alexander 1997).…”

“…Evidence for the cultivation of emmer wheat and barley was recovered at Deer's Den on the A96 Kintore Bypass in Aberdeenshire (Alexander 2000). Barley was identified at Beckton Farm (Pollard 1997), but at Chapelfield wild resources were being exploited as well as cultivated crops (Atkinson 2002). Barley has been identified at Ratho (Smith 1995).…”