SNN39964 - Dirft East Topsoil Stripping, An Archaeological Watching Brief

Four sets of topsoil stripping operations were monitored by RPS Clouston archaeologists. The operations were placed where it appeared that they would be least likely to expose or damage the extensive Iron Age settlement site known in the area. The placements were made on the basis of geophysical surveys of the area. Stripping operations to the north-west of the “Hotel Site” exceeded the original area requirement specified. Archaeological features were uncovered in this operation which had not been picked up in the geophysical surveys. Others were discovered which were located outside the areas surveyed. The form of some of these features suggest evidence of habitation structures. Excavation by hand produced ceramic evidence that the features dated to the Iron Age. Stripping operations along the northern boundary of the site were so placed in the light of the unexpected discoveries made during the earlier operations at the “Hotel Site”. This area was subject to a second specification, but no datable archaeological features or deposits were uncovered in this area. One small ditch feature was found, but it produced no dating material. The operations were carried out purely to obtain good quality topsoil and were not directed at obtaining archaeological information. This means that although all evidence was recorded, the archaeological data obtained may not form a complete record of the archaeology underlying the areas stripped. In the southern area in particular there is a strong likelihood that features may be present at a deeper level than was removed for these operations.