Neolithic henge-type enclosure at Balfarg

Abstract

Further excavation and pedological analysis of the gully forming the southern perimeter of the henge suggest that the channel previously interpreted as a natural stream (see 83/10516) is in fact the 'missing' southern segment of henge ditch.

Total excavation of a later prehistoric enclosure at Braehead, Glasgow

“…palisade postholes varied in depth from 0.04-0.43m (palisade b and palisade c), while those in s1 varied between 0.04-0.27m, those in s2 from 0.06-0.40m and in s4 from 0.18-0.25m. working on the premise that one-third of the height of a post is buried for stability (Mercer 1981), then a post-palisade of 1.5m height above the ground would have had a buried portion of 0.75m. it is therefore clear that although preservation in plan was generally good at braehead, what was being observed was in many cases the very last remnants of survival.…”

4 Who Were These People? A Sideways View and a Non-answer of Political Proportions

“…Some 'burials' also appear to have been sealed rather more securely than necessary. The monumental cists at Cairnpapple Hill have already been mentioned as has the huge cist cover at Balfarg (Mercer 1981). At Forteviot the cist cover weighed several tonnes ) and a large cist cover was also found at Cist 1 at Dalgety (Watkins 1982, fig 3).…”

“…The burials within the henge at North Mains may be a case in point assuming that they are directly connected to the construction of the monument rather than just broadly contemporary. Parallels may be drawn with the central Beaker burial at Balfarg (Mercer 1981), perhaps the dagger burial at Forteviot , the Beaker associated monumental cist burials at Cairnpapple (Piggott 1948) and the infant with the cleft skull at Woodhenge (Cunnington 1929). Once again several scenarios present themselves.…”

Dating Balbirnie: recent radiocarbon dates from the stone circle and cairn at Balbirnie, Fife, and a review of its place in the overall Balfarg/Balbirnie site sequence

“…Similarly, it is now questionable whether stone circles should be seen as responses to lowland henges given that recent research at dyffryn lane, Powys (gibson 2010) and broomend of Crichie, aberdeenshire (bradley & Clarke 2007) is indicating that at least some henges were constructed to enclose pre-existing stone circles: a scenario that seems equally possible at balfarg, Fife and which will be discussed further below. (the present writer uses 'Henge' with regard to balfarg as a shorthand term in the full understanding that previous authors (Mercer 1981;Mercer et al 1988) acknowledge the site's peculiarities by labelling it 'henge-type enclosure '. ) the cairn and stone circle at balbirnie, just outside Markinch, Fife, was partially excavated by balfour in 1883 and completely excavated by graham ritchie in 1970 and 1971 in advance of road widening works.…”