2022’s top ten: Structure Twenty-Seven’s north-western wall

As 2022 ticks away, we thought it would be a fine time to look back over our favourite finds and discoveries over the year.

We’ve selected ten and will post each one (in no particular order) between now and December 31.

A section of Structure Twenty-Seven’s beautiful northern wall. (Sigurd Towrie)

So, today we begin with Structure Twenty-Seven, in particular its stunning north-western wall.

After it went out of use, the building was victim to major episodes of stone robbing that saw most of its south-eastern and south-western walls removed. We had long hoped that more of the north-western wall had survived. This summer our prayers were answered!

As the midden and rubble layers were removed the stunning quality of the surviving wall’s stonework shone through.

Structure Twenty-Seven’s beautiful north-western wall. (Sigurd Towrie)

The stonework is, quite simply, exquisite.

Arguably the finest masonry uncovered on site to date, the wall was formed by regular courses of perfectly fitted stone, the precision of their placement unsurpassed. On top of that, the Neolithic builders also incorporated a deliberate, but very subtle, curve into the length of the wall.

Judging by the floor level of the building’s interior in 2022, the stunning north-western wall could survive to up to one metre in height!

The marvellous stonework of the north-western corner. (Sigurd Towrie)