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Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Archaeolgists Find Largest-Ever Ceremony Hall, Weapons Hoard
Archaeologists in Scotland have discovered the largest Neolithic wood hall ever found in the country alongside a hoard of Bronze Age weaponry, including a gold spearhead, according to a report published in Guard Archaeology. The wood hall, which dates back to around 4,000 B.C., was found by construction workers underneath the future soccer field at Carnoustie High School in Angus. The main area was built using oak wood and measures 115 feet long by 30 feet wide, while a smaller 'companion hall' measuring 66 feet long by 26 feet wide was erected next door. This is a particularly unique arrangement for ancient Scotland, where buildings were often designed as singular entities and were significantly distanced from one another. "The halls were probably close to routeways where people might have congregated naturally at various seasons of the year,' said fieldwork director Alan Hunter Blair. 'The availability of hazelnuts in autumn is a strong indicator that that season was an important one for meeting, feasting, and celebrating."Inside the smaller hall, archaeologists discovered a stove which was filled with charred hazelnuts and cereal grains, indicating that the facility was used as a communal dining and food preparation space. The larger space, meanwhile, contained evidence suggesting it was used as a ceremonial space for the farmers. Found artifacts included an axe crafted from garnet-albite-schist as well as agate, quartz, and chalcedony, which are believed to have been provided by the community. "This monumental timber hall, completely alien to the culture and landscape of the preceding Mesolithic era, was erected by one of the very first groups of farmers to colonize Scotland, in a clearing within the remains of natural woodland,' explained study co-author Beverly Ballin Smith. 'It was fully formed, architecturally sophisticated, large, complex, and required skills of design, planning, execution, and carpentry."Archaeolgists Find Largest-Ever Ceremony Hall, Weapons Hoard first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 12, 2025
The Independent
08-07-2025
- General
- The Independent
Neolithic farming halls older than Stonehenge discovered beneath school
An early Neolithic timber hall has been found beneath a school in Scotland, with archaeologists believing it could have been a ceremonial venue for Scotland's first farming communities. The remains of the 'internationally significant' hall, older than Stonehenge, were found beneath what will become two school football pitches for Carnoustie High School in Angus. The site, which was first explored in 2017, is being investigated by the Guard Archaeology. It is believed to be the largest hall found in Scotland. The archaeological group said the discovery of the hall and a smaller companion building was 'exceptional' and included artefacts from around Scotland, including Arran and the Highlands, as well as hazelnut shells and charred cereal grains. Among the artefacts discovered was a gold-decorated Celtic spearhead and a sword, as well as an extremely well-preserved late Bronze Age wood-and-leather scabbard. It is believed to be among the best-preserved in Britain. A report by Guard Archaeology suggested the halls likely attracted farmers from across a wide area for feasts and celebrations. It was especially rare to have two buildings together. Alan Hunter Blair, who directed the fieldwork, said: 'The Carnoustie excavation produced exceptional results, the traces of the largest early Neolithic timber hall ever discovered in Scotland, dating from near 4,000BC. 'This was a permanent structure 35m long and 9m wide, built of oak with opposed doorways near one end of the building. Its large roof was supported by paired massive timber posts.' Beverley Ballin Smith, the co-author of the report, said: 'This monumental timber hall, completely alien to the culture and landscape of the preceding Mesolithic era, was erected by one of the very first groups of farmers to colonise Scotland, in a clearing within the remains of natural woodland. 'It was fully formed, architecturally sophisticated, large, complex and required skills of design, planning, execution and carpentry.' The archaeology group said the smaller hall was 20 metres long and more than eight metres wide. Ballin Smith said: 'The Carnoustie halls, elevated and prominent in the landscape, were probably close to routeways where people might have congregated naturally at various seasons of the year. 'The availability of hazelnuts in autumn is a strong indicator that that season was an important one for meeting, feasting and celebrating. 'Carnoustie might have been a focal point, [the halls'] significance great enough to attract people from a much wider area. 'Some artefacts came from distant places and represent deliberate deposition, such as fragments of Arran pitchstone, an axe of garnet-albite-schist and a piece of smoky quartz from the Highlands. 'Other materials were found more locally, such as agate, quartz and chalcedony.' Kathryn Lindsay, the chief executive of Angus council, said: 'When [we] approved the development of two outdoor football pitches at Balmachie Road, no one imagined the process would reveal one of the most internationally significant archaeological discoveries in Scotland.' The council funded the archaeological work, which was required as a condition of planning consent.
Times
08-07-2025
- General
- Times
Neolithic halls unearthed at Scottish school are older than Stonehenge
T he remains of an 'internationally significant' early Neolithic timber hall found beneath what will soon be two school football pitches point to the site having been a ceremonial venue for Scotland's first farming communities, archaeologists say. The discovery of the hall — which is older than Stonehenge — and a smaller companion building is 'exceptional'. The site, at Carnoustie High School, Angus, is being investigated by Guard Archaeology. The larger hall is the biggest found in Scotland. Finds included a gold-decorated Celtic spearhead and a sword with what is possibly the best-preserved late Bronze Age wood-and-leather scabbard in Britain. A report said the halls probably drew farmers from across a wide area for feasts and celebrations. Finds included artefacts from Arran and the Highlands. Alan Hunter Blair, who directed the fieldwork, said: 'The Carnoustie excavation produced exceptional results, the traces of the largest early Neolithic timber hall ever discovered in Scotland dating from near 4,000BC.
The National
07-07-2025
- General
- The National
7000-year-old neolithic festival site found at future football pitches
Experts from GUARD Archaeologists discovered the remains of the early Neolithic settlement — which they believed was a focal point for where Scotland's first farming communities gathered for large festivities — during archaeological excavations at the construction site of Carnoustie High School's new pitches. "The Carnoustie excavation produced exceptional results, the traces of the largest early Neolithic timber hall ever discovered in Scotland dating from near 4000 BC," said Alan Hunter Blair, who directed the fieldwork. "This was a permanent structure 35 meters long and 9 meters wide, built of oak with opposed doorways near one end of the building. Its large roof was supported by paired massive timber posts. Its walls were wattle and daub panels supported by posts that were partly protected by its over-hanging roof. And its internal space was sub-divided by more postholes and narrow channels marking partitions." READ MORE: 239-year-old island inn with beer garden hits the market One of the co-authors of a newly published report on the discovery, Beverley Ballin Smith,, added: "This monumental timber hall, completely alien to the culture and landscape of the preceding Mesolithic era, was erected by one of the very first groups of farmers to colonise Scotland, in a clearing within the remains of natural woodland. "It was fully formed, architecturally sophisticated, large, complex and required skills of design, planning, execution and carpentry." What makes Carnoustie unlike other Neolithic halls in Scotland, which were all discrete solitary structures within the virgin farmland of early neolithic Scotland, a smaller companion timber hall existed alongside it. This was still a substantial structure almost 20m long and more than 8m wide. The excavation of the smaller hall revealed a large hearth with charred cereal grains and hazel nutshells consistent with a domestic function. The larger hall yielded evidence for the deliberate deposition of stone artefacts, which arachnologists consider are traces of the beliefs and rituals of the community that built and used it. "The Carnoustie halls, elevated and prominent in the landscape, were probably close to routeways where people may have congregated naturally at various seasons of the year," said Ballin Smith. "The availability of hazel nuts in autumn is a strong indicator that that season was an important one for meeting, feasting and celebrating. The Carnoustie timber halls may have been a focal point, their significance great enough to attract people from a much wider area. "We know from the materials found in the Carnoustie buildings that some artefacts came from distant places and represent deliberate deposition, such as fragments of Arran pitchstone, an axe of garnet-albite-schist and a piece of smoky quartz from the Highlands, while other materials were found more locally such as agate, quartz and chalcedony." READ MORE: Work to begin on £8 million Gaelic cultural centre on Scottish island After about 200 years, the halls were dismantled and a smaller hall built within the footprint of the larger hall around 3800-3700 BC, but this too continued to receive deliberate deposits of stone tools until about 3600 BC. The site continued to be revisited with evidence of people camping and gathering outside where the buildings once stood, carrying on the seasonal round of activities until around 2500 BC. "When Angus Council approved the development of two outdoor football pitches on land at Balmachie Road in Carnoustie, no one imagined the process would reveal one of the most remarkable and internationally significant archaeological discoveries in Scotland," said Kathryn Lindsay, chief executive of Angus Council. "'Many current residents in the area may not have imagined life during this period of history, right on their doorstep! The building of two football pitches at this site has provided an inadvertent but invaluable opportunity to learn more about how people in Angus lived in the Neolithic and Bronze Age." A rare and well-preserved metalwork hoard of a sword within its wooden scabbard, a spearhead with a gold decorative band around its socket and a bronze sunflower-headed swan's neck pin were also found wrapped in the remains of woollen cloth and sheep-skin. Hunter Blair explained: "This small hoard had been deliberately buried in a pit within the midst of a late Bronze Age settlement sometime between 1118 - 924 BC." At around 1400 BC, during the Bronze Age, people had returned to this same site at Carnoustie. A settlement was established, comprising a single roundhouse, much smaller than the previous Neolithic halls, and replaced three or more times over the following centuries until around 800 BC. The best preserved of these Bronze Age roundhouses was positioned over part of the foundations of the large Neolithic timber hall. Like the other buildings it had an entrance facing south-east and during the course of its life it was used as a domestic dwelling, a workshop and also a byre. Near this building, the hoard of precious weapons and jewellery was buried. Co-author of the report Warren Bailie said: "If any object was a direct import, it would be the sunflower pin. The sword was a viable weapon that from the pattern of notches and rebound marks along its blades had probably seen some use in combat, but there was weakness in the core of the spearhead that would have made it vulnerable in use." The team discovered that the last occupant of the Carnoustie site was a small field mouse. Investigation of the contents of the spearhead's socket revealed a considerable amount of fresh-looking grass stems stained by the copper, suggesting that a small rodent (such as a field mouse) had set up house during the fairly recent past in the socket itself. The archaeological work was funded by Angus Council and was required as a condition of planning consent by Angus Council who are advised on archaeological matters by the Aberdeenshire Council Archaeology Service.
The Herald Scotland
07-07-2025
- General
- The Herald Scotland
Carnoustie dig uncovers huge timber building older than Stonehenge
The discovery was made during archaeological excavations by GUARD archaeology commissioned by Angus Council, before the construction of new football pitches near Carnoustie High School. Archaeologists have been scrutinising their findings after the site was uncovered when digging work began in 2017. They have now concluded it was once home to a huge structure which would have been 'alien', in terms of design and complexity, to the people who came before and is unique to the time period in Scotland. Dating to 4,000BC, the hall was built in a woodland clearing and would have been an imposing structure, its walls made of thick panels and its roof supported by huge beams. There are suggestions it was used for ancient rituals – with buried tool 'offerings' found inside its walls – and the hall was kept in use for hundreds of years. Some of the stone axe head 'offerings' found at the site (Image: Guard Archaeology) And even after it succumbed to the elements, the site was used by people – though they were building on a smaller and less grandiose scale. Alan Hunter Blair, who directed the fieldwork said: 'The Carnoustie excavation produced exceptional results, the traces of the largest early Neolithic timber hall ever discovered in Scotland, dating from near 4000 BC. 'Its walls were wattle and daub panels supported by posts that were partly protected by its over-hanging roof. And its internal space was sub-divided by more postholes and narrow channels.' Beverley Ballin Smith, one of the co-authors of a report into the excavation, said: 'This monumental timber hall, completely alien to the culture and landscape of the preceding Mesolithic era, was erected by one of the very first groups of farmers to colonise Scotland, in a clearing within the remains of natural woodland. 'It was fully formed, architecturally sophisticated, large, complex and required skills of design, planning, execution and carpentry.' Unlike other Neolithic halls in Scotland, which were all discrete solitary structures within the virgin farmland of early Neolithic Scotland, the large Carnoustie Hall was accompanied by another building. This was still a substantial structure almost 20m long and over 8m wide, but while GUARD's excavation of the smaller hall revealed a large hearth with charred cereal grains and hazel nutshells consistent with a domestic function, the excavation of the larger hall indicates it was used for a different purpose. Stone artefacts appear to have been deliberately buried inside its walls, offering tantalising traces of the beliefs and rituals of the community that built and used it. Beverley Ballin Smith said: 'The Carnoustie halls, elevated and prominent in the landscape, were probably close to routeways where people may have congregated naturally at various seasons of the year. 'The availability of hazel nuts in autumn is a strong indicator that that season was an important one for meeting, feasting and celebrating. The Carnoustie timber halls may have been a focal point, their significance great enough to attract people from a much wider area. 'We know from the materials found in the Carnoustie buildings that some artefacts came from distant places and represent deliberate deposition, such as fragments of Arran pitchstone, an axe of garnet-albite-schist and a piece of smoky quartz from the Highlands, while other materials were found more locally such as agate, quartz and chalcedony. ' The dig uncovered evidence of a massive structure (Image: Guard Archaeology) After about 200 years use, it is thought both halls were dismantled and a smaller hall was built within the footprint of the larger hall, around 3800-3700 BC. But this building also continued to receive deliberate deposits of stone tools until about 3600 BC. The site continued to be revisited with evidence of people camping and gathering outside where the buildings once stood, carrying on the seasonal round of activities until around 2500 BC. However, this was not the only prehistoric secret that the Carnoustie excavations unearthed. 'A rare and well-preserved metalwork hoard of a sword within its wooden scabbard, a spearhead with a gold decorative band around its socket and a bronze sunflower-headed swan's neck pin were found wrapped in the remains of woollen cloth and sheep-skin,' said Alan Hunter Blair. 'This small hoard had been deliberately buried in a pit within the midst of a late Bronze Age settlement sometime between 1118 - 924 BC.' Around 1400 BC, during the Bronze Age, people returned to this same site at Carnoustie, probably oblivious to its significance to earlier Neolithic communities. A settlement was established, comprising a single roundhouse, much smaller than the previous Neolithic halls, and replaced three or more times over the following centuries until around 800 BC. The best preserved of the Bronze Age roundhouses was positioned over part of the foundations of the large Neolithic timber hall. Near this building, the hoard of precious weapons and jewellery was deliberately buried. The Bronze Age sword found at Carnoustie (Image: Guard Archaeology) Co-author Warren Bailie said: 'The metallurgical and lead isotope studies suggest that all the bronze objects were probably made in Scotland, but from metal imported from further south, eastern England for the bronze and, perhaps the Irish Sea area for the gold. 'If any object was a direct import, it would be the sunflower pin. The sword was a viable weapon that from the pattern of notches and rebound marks along its blades had probably seen some use in combat, but there was weakness in the core of the spearhead that would have made it vulnerable in use. ' 'And while the metalwork in the Carnoustie Hoard was impressive enough, the associated organic remains are remarkable preservation of the wooden scabbard, woollen cloth and sheepskin was down to the anti-microbial properties of copper, which all of these items were in contact with.' 'This rich hoard of metalwork, together with a shale bangle found in the roundhouse indicate that while the settlement was otherwise very modest and unassuming, its occupants were wealthy and had some status in the wider community, ' added Beverley Ballin Smith. 'Hoards such as this are rare, but a similar hoard of bronze swords and another gold decorated spearhead found in the 1960s just north of Dundee indicates a shared cultural practice amongst late Bronze Age households for burying wealth such as this for safekeeping. 'The reason as to why they never came back to recover these prized belongings, however, has been lost to the passage of time.' READ MORE: Public invited to get involved as Scotland Digs 2025 archaeology campaign begins Ancient Pictish stone found by chance goes on display Plan launched to save cultural heritage of Scotland's vanishing churches The team discovered that the last occupant of the Carnoustie site was a small field mouse - investigation of the contents of the spearhead's socket revealed a considerable amount of fresh-looking grass stems stained by the copper, suggesting that a very small rodent (such as a field mouse) had set up house during the fairly recent past in the socket itself. The archaeological work was funded by Angus Council and was required as a condition of planning consent by Angus Council who are advised on archaeological matters by the Aberdeenshire Council Archaeology Service. Kathryn Lindsay, Chief Executive Angus Council, said that no-one could have imagined what lay under the ground when work began. She said: 'When Angus Council approved the development of two outdoor football pitches on land at Balmachie Road in Carnoustie, no one imagined the process would reveal one of the most remarkable and internationally significant archaeological discoveries in Scotland. 'Many current residents in the area may not have imagined life during this period of history, right on their doorstep.
