2024’s top finds – the ‘butterfly’ stone from Twelve’s eastern annexe
Behind this artefact is a long story, spanning years of excavation at the Ness.
Back in 2019, Claire and Sigurd revealed a large, decorated slab in Structure Twelve’s eastern annexe. Only a few parts of the stone’s surface were visible, the rest was obscured by midden and obscured by structural elements. But the bits we could see were covered in light incised decoration, including a Ness “butterfly” motif.
Because the slab was underneath later material it couldn’t be removed at the time.
In August, the overlying elements were removed and the stone slab extracted. That done it was clear it had even more decoration, including two more deeply-incised “butterfly” motifs, akin to those found on a three-part slab found in Twelve’s northern annexe in 2013.
The first fragment of the “Butterfly Stone” emerged during an operation to clear the annexe’s exterior blocking. It featured two sets of deep, and clearly incised, triangles, joined together at the points and resembling butterfly wings. When this slab was raised and carefully cleaned, it was found to be decorated on both sides, with pecked cupmarks and ephemeral geometric designs on the rear.
Later in the 2013 season, another two more fragments were found, all three fitting together perfectly.
Given its location it seems the slab, broken and turned upside-down, was placed as part of a closing event, perhaps marking the end of Structure Twelve or at least the end of use of the northern entrance.
Although the 2024 slab is of a similar material, the quality of the incisions vary, suggesting it was not part of the broken 2013 stone. Its location, however, suggests a similar role, marking the closure of the eastern annexe.
