Leven Bronze Age Cemetery

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Leven Bronze Age Cemetery The excavations resulted in the discovery of 4 complete and 2 broken prehistoric food vessels (rare Yorkshire vase types). This is the largest and most important collection of this type of early prehistoric pottery so far excavated in a single cemetery context. Background Early in 2001 a building developer submitted a planning application to develop Phase I of an intended three-phase development project at a site off of Holly Road, Leven. When this application was assessed, it was the considered that Phase I did not have any archaeological implications. However, it was recognised that the subsequent development phases might well have considerable archaeological implications.

Transcript of Leven Bronze Age Cemetery

Page 1: Leven Bronze Age Cemetery

Leven Bronze Age Cemetery The excavations resulted in the discovery of 4 complete and 2 broken prehistoric food vessels (rare Yorkshire vase types). This is the largest and most important collection of this type of early prehistoric pottery so far excavated in a single cemetery context.

Background Early in 2001 a building developer submitted a planning application to develop Phase I of an intended three-phase development project at a site off of Holly Road, Leven. When this application was assessed, it was the considered that Phase I did not have any archaeological implications. However, it was recognised that the subsequent development phases might well have considerable archaeological implications.

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The main concern was that there was a record of the discovery of a Bronze Age grave in this field in 1944. Almost no record of this discovery was made at the time and with the exception of one single jet bead, the whereabouts of the artefacts from this grave are now lost. However, a field survey conducted by the Council’s Archaeologist indicated that further archaeological deposits almost certainly yet existed on this site.

The archaeological evaluation of this site involved the stripping off of top soil from key areas in an attempt to identify any underlying archaeological features that may exist. The results of the evaluation were positive and in equal measures of amazement and alarm, it quickly became apparent that a sizeable cemetery of probable early Bronze Age date (c.4,000 years old) existed within the area proposed for development. Indeed, a number of stone-lined graves, known as cists, were uncovered during the evaluation along with a quantity of broken prehistoric pottery. The implications of this discovery were immediately apparent. The evaluation had identified a previously unknown early Bronze Age cemetery of national importance. This was an extraordinarily important archaeological discovery and the results attracted the immediate attention of Historic Scotland and the National Museums of Scotland. A package was put together that allowed for the excavation of this site. This package included generous funding from the Levenmouth Area Capital Budget, match funding from the Planning and Building Control Service budget and support in kind from Boyack Homes Ltd, Historic Scotland, Stirling University (Environmental History Unit), the Council for Scottish Archaeology and the National Museums of Scotland. Further assistance, support and funded specialist techniques were supplied by Channel Four’s Time Team programme in return for permission to participate in, and film the excavations

Interim Interpretation

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Early indications suggest that the first use of this site may have occurred during the Neolithic period, some 5,000 – 6,000 years ago. This earliest phase of activity is represented by a single cremation deposit (a small pit containing cremated human skeletal remains) which was deposited on a slight raised hillock in the landscape. Some time later, probably as much as 1,000 years later (c. 2,000BC), a richly endowed single burial chamber was constructed on this slight natural knoll (cist L on plan, see end of this update note). A single young male (c.10-15 years old) was buried in this stone-lined chamber, and the whole structure was enclosed with a boundary ditch (it is possible that the grave was then covered by a massive earthen mound). We know about this primary burial only from historic records and from the excavation evidence of a robbed out grave. Essentially, it appears that in 1944, a grave was accidentally discovered on this site during deep ploughing. No serious attempt was made to excavate or to examine the grave upon discovery and the site was left open for the curious to come and examine it for themselves. As a result, the grave site was essentially looted. Indeed, when, almost six months after discovery, a team of antiquarian/archaeologists from the National Museum of Antiquities (Edinburgh) came to visit the site, all that was found was a single fusiform jet bead and some fragments of disarticulated human bone.

Holly Road PSAS article

Holly Road 1944 bone report

This unfortunate situation came about despite the then landowner’s (Mr Christie of Durie House) determined attempts to have the site protected and properly excavated. Indeed, our only knowledge of this original discovery all due to Mr RL Christie’s diligent and responsible estate and record keeping and the preservation of his notes by his son and heir, Mr Peter Christie, who kindly relayed the details of the 1944 discovery to the Council’s Archaeological Unit.

Leven Cemetery letter

Some time after the construction of the primary grave chamber on this site, a further five well constructed and richly endowed burials were placed surrounding the central grave. However, these were still all contained within the enclosure ditch . At a slightly later period, but probably not later than 1,500BC, another four burials were interred just outside (and to the south) of the cemetery enclosure . The quality of the construction of these grave chambers and the quality and number of grave goods was significantly lower than the early earlier burials on this site. However, the fact that these individuals had still been marked out for burial within a stone chamber and within a cemetery complex, still means that these individuals must have been exceptionally important people within their Bronze Age communities.

Excavations

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The excavation of the site, directed by the Council’s Archaeologist, Douglas Speirs, commenced on Saturday 27th July 2002 with the assistance of archaeological contracting firm, Scotia Archaeology Ltd, a private company based in Crieff, Perthshire. The Time Team then joined the project for 5 days from Sunday 28th July to Thursday 1st August 2002. However, the excavations were continued for a further two weeks after the Time Team’s departure.

In total, the contribution to the Time Team project brought with them 68 members of staff, six of whom were supplied as permanent digging staff. The remaining members of staff included another 8 specialist archaeological scientists; the rest were involved in the television side of

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things and included cameramen, sound recordists, directors, producers. All equipment (eg cranes, helicopters, JCBs, transport etc) used by the Time Team during the excavations was locally sourced and all 68 team members were accommodated at the Craw’s Nest hotel in Anstruther.

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Local members of the community were invited to watch the excavations in progress and many local people actually assisted the excavations on-site, particularly after the departure of the Time Team.

Educational visits and parties of young people were invited to the site to learn first-hand about the techniques of archaeological investigation, and more importantly, to learn about the rich archaeological heritage of the Levenmouth area.

Discoveries

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The excavations revealed a previously unrecorded Early Bronze Age cemetery (c. 4,000 years old) enclosed within a ditch. The cemetery contained 11 cist burials (stone graves) and at least one unaccompanied cremation burial of possible Neolithic date (c.5,000 years old).

Cist before excavation

The acidity of the soil resulted in poor preservation of human skeletal material, however, significant partial skeletal collections were still recovered.

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Cist after excavation

The excavations also resulted in the discovery of 4 complete and 2 broken prehistoric food vessels (rare Yorkshire vase types). This is the largest and most important collection of this type of early prehistoric pottery so far excavated in a single cemetery context.

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A single, high quality flint blade (English origin, possibly Norfolk) and two stone amulets were also recovered.

Post-Excavation Analysis Since the completion of field excavations in mid-August 2002, work has continued on the post-excavation analysis. This has involved the re-examination and interpretation of the all of the observations made during the excavations as well as the detailed scientific analysis of all of the finds made, and of the environmental samples taken. Samples of bone and wood have been sent to Gronigen University (Holland) for accelerated mass spectrosopy radiocarbon dating. This is a revolutionary new dating technique that works well on bone.

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Analysis of the environmental data gathered during excavations is on-going at Stirling University (Dept. of Environmental Science). The analysis of pollen and seed deposits will eventually reveal details of the environmental conditions in Bronze Age Fife. Conservation of the pottery, flint and stone finds has been completed at the National Museums of Scotland (Artefact Research Unit) and work has started on examining, illustrating and writing scientific reports on these artefacts. The pottery reports are complete and the extreme importance of this pottery assemblage has now been recognised. Detailed research on the skeletal material recovered is on-going at the National Museums of Scotland. Preliminary results have indicated the general age, sex and health of some of the better-preserved skeletons. The majority of the graves appear to contain young male children, although one young female (c. 9-13 years old) and 1 adult male (c.20-25 years old at death) have also so far been identified. The geophysical and remote sensing data has been collated for publication. Both magnetic resonance and resistivity techniques were applied across the site and the results of this work has revealed the processes of site formation that have resulted in this site’s appearance. The final site plans, section drawings, levels and other adjusted site data has been produced and an archive copy has been made and submitted to the National Monuments Record of Scotland (Edinburgh) as permanent record of the work undertaken Continued research, analysis and report-writing is on-going and it is planned that a detailed account of the excavations will be published in 2003 in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. It is also planned to produce a booklet on the excavations for dissemination throughout the Levenmouth and wider Fife area.

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Summary and Conclusion The excavations undertaken by Fife Council at Holly Road, Leven, have resulted in the identification and preservation (by record) of one of the most important Bronze Age archaeological sites in Scotland. Indeed, the results of this excavation will considerably extend our understanding of life in Bronze Age Scotland. As Dr Alison Sheridan (Keeper of Archaeology, National Museums of Scotland) recently said in a lecture announcing the discoveries made at Holly Road, this site will “mark Leven as one of the most significant centres of prehistoric archaeology in Scotland”. It is hoped that upon completion of the post-excavation analysis, the artefacts and materials excavated at this site will be awarded to Kirkcaldy Museum. However, all finds will be subject to the standard disposal procedures operated on behalf of the Crown in Scotland by the Queen’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer. That is to say that subject to the Scots laws of Trove and bona vacantia, the Queen’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer will allocate the artefacts recovered from the excavations to an appropriate museum after seeking advice from the Treasure Trove Advisory Panel. The Archaeological Unit has already begun lobbying the Treasure Trove Advisory Panel for the finds from this site to be awarded to Fife Museums Central (Kirkcaldy Museum) and it is hoped that the first of a series of exhibitions in Central Fife on this site will be held shortly. Discussions between Fife Council Planning Officers and Boyack Homes Ltd are continuing regarding ways to record or commemorate the site of this important site. Suggestions so far discussed include the erection of a monument or commemorative plaque on the excavation site. Plans are also being considered for interpretation boards for the site.

photos by Douglas Spiers, County Archaeologist for Fife