Excavations at Adie’s Brae

Excavations at Adie’s Brae

Excavations at a scooped settlement north of Moffat in October 2024 have helped shed light on life in Southern Scotland in prehistory.

The landscape around Ericstane and Corehead, north of Moffat contains some very visible traces of the late prehistoric period, and represents a very good example of how prehistoric archaeology can survive around the fringes of improved cultivation and later forestry. Within a 2 km stretch along the Ericstane glen, at least three major forts and a further three scooped settlements are located on the margins of the fields found along the valley floor. Close to the modern A701, overlooking the valley floor, a well preserved section of Roman road cuts across the landscape, accompanied by a signal station. The Ericstane area comprises a busy Iron Age landscape, and must have been a key interface between Roman troops and native communities in the first century AD, and in the late 18th century, peat diggers found half of a Roman commander’s brooch close to the road (visit Moffat Museum to find out more).

The excavation of three trenches revealed the structural remains of at least two roundhouses with associated features including pits and postholes. These were set within the interior of the scooped settlement, towards the rear and centre. The enclosing bank for the scooped settlement was also investigated which comprised large angular greywacke stone in a dark silty sand matrix. This was entirely collapsed where excavated but is likely to have comprised an earthen bank with stone facing, at the top of a natural slope to the rear of the scooped settlement.

Several charcoal samples were retrieved that will provide radiocarbon dates for a range of features excavated. The artefactual assemblage was relatively small and included in situ fragments of iron objects, coarse stone tools, and a possible lead object. From the topsoil, fragments of a redware ceramic with a green glaze indicate later medieval or post-medieval use of the site while finds of flint and a chert core reflect earlier prehistoric activity.

What’s next?

Now the on site work is complete, the post-excavation programme is underway. Initially we will have soil samples processed to release any small ecofacts like burnt wood, burnt grain and seeds. Charcoal from secure contexts will be sent to SUERC lab to be dated which will help pin down the chronology of the site. Finds such as the iron objects and coarse stone tools will be analysed by our specialists. Eventually we will pull all this information together and be able to tell the story of Adie’s Brae and the community who lived there. The report will be available to download here in due course!

 

Further Reading

RCAHMS 1997 Eastern Dumfriesshire: an archaeological landscape (es. Pages 144- 155)

Banks, Ian 2000 ‘Excavation of an Iron Age and Romano-British enclosure at Woodend Farm, Johnstonebridge, Annandale, 1994 & 1997’ Proc Soc Antiq Scot 130

Jobey, G. 1974 ‘Excavations at Boonies, Westerkirk and the nature of Romano-British settlement in Eastern Dumfriesshire’ Proc Soc Antiq Scot 105

 

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