Dig Diary – evidence of a burnt timber building under Structure Five?

Monday, July 15, 2024 (9:31 PM)

The 2024 Willamette diggers arrive on site. Back row, from the left: Owen, Aden, Hamish, Caz, Lily, Dorsey and Theo. Front row, from the left: Emma, Sarah, Hiwa and McKenna. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

Day Seventeen
Monday, July 15, 2024

With another new week comes a fresh batch of diggers and today we welcomed the 2024 contingent from Willamette University, Oregon, USA.

After the usual induction talks, they were set to work in Trench T, where they assisted in the monumental task of removing midden from the northern end of Structure Twenty-Seven.

We’re not sure hard labour is quite what they expected for their first day on site but they all seemed to enjoy the experience and, along with the other diggers, worked hard and steadily all day.

As a result, more of Twenty-Seven’s northern wall has been exposed but, unfortunately, it is not as well-preserved as we initially hoped. But there’s more to reveal so time will tell.

It's all go in the north end of Structure Twenty-Seven. (📷 Sigurd Towrie) — It’s all go in the north end of Structure Twenty-Seven. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

While the south end is cleaned, ready for photographing. (📷 Jo Bourne)

At the southern end of the building the digger numbers increased dramatically as a major floor clean-up got under way. That done, the interior of Twenty-Seven is now looking great, ready for excavation to resume.

Structure Twenty-Seven from above this afternoon. (📷 Tom O'Brien) — Structure Twenty-Seven from above this afternoon. (📷 Tom O’Brien)

Over in Trench P, Structure Eight/Seventeen produced yet another of its strange artefact caches, when Ray found a group of bovine astragali.

After recovering seven of the cattle bones, continued excavation revealed even more, bringing the total to about 20! And because cattle only have two, we’re looking at at least ten animals.

Ray excavating the cattle astragali in Structure Eight/Seventeen. (📷 Jo Bourne)

The bones were found in the interface between Structures Seventeen and its successor Structure Eight. At present it’s not clear which building they relate to.

In Structure Seventeen, the floors were given a good clean ready for a drone photography session this afternoon.

Drone shot of Structure Seventeen this afternoon. (📷 Tom O'Brien) — Drone shot of Structure Seventeen this afternoon. (📷 Tom O’Brien)

In Structure Twelve, Jan continued excavating the colourful, ashy deposits in a pit beside the south wall. This area, like the north-western “slow cooker” recesses, was probably used for cooking – the hot ash from the fire collected and dumped in the pit before clay vessels were placed on top to cook or keep warm.

Structure Twelve supervisor Jim photographs Jan's excavated ash pit in the south end of the building. (📷 Sigurd Towrie) — Structure Twelve supervisor Jim photographs Jan’s excavated ash pit in the south end of the building. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

In the north-eastern corner, Sue continued work on a “dump” of material lying close to the site of an orthostatic stone box, excavated in previous seasons. Also used for cooking, the box, or trough, was surrounded by hammerstones. And today their number increased again with more revealed in the vicinity.

The goal in this section is to reveal more of the curving wall that we suspect was inserted into the northern end of Structure Twenty-Eight, Twelve’s predecessor, later in its life.

Gianluca at work outside Structure Twelve's northern annexe. (📷 Sigurd Towrie) — Gianluca at work outside Structure Twelve’s northern annexe. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

Gianluca was outside Twelve’s shoddy northern annexe today.

The 'Brodgar Butterfly' motif. (Antonia Thomas) — A close-up showing one of the ‘Brodgar Butterfly’ motifs on the ‘Butterfly Stone’. (📷 Antonia Thomas)

This extension was added during the rebuild/remodelling that followed the building’s collapse and Gianluca is examining its entrance and the area in which the iconic “Butterfly Stone” was found in 2013.

Back then, while clearing the exterior blocking in the entrance, Jo found the first fragment of the decorated stone. Two more emerged later in the season – all three fitting together perfectly.

Given its position it seems the slab, which had been 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.

So while Gianluca is clarifying the different structural relationships around the northern annexe, he will be keeping an eye out for the stump of the “butterfly stone” so we can see how it fits into the story of Structure Twelve.

The suspected secondary hearth emerging in Trench Z today. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

In Trench Z, an important discovery today was a hearth alongside the remains of Structure Two.

The hearth appeared after the rubble was removed from Two’s interior and we suspect it is a later, secondary addition. It will be planned, sampled and fully recorded before being removed and work continues to reach the building’s original floor.

The area of burning underlying Structure Five, and the possible post-hole, to the left of Ralph. (📷 Sigurd Towrie) — The area of burning underlying Structure Five, and the possible, circular post-hole, to the left of Ralph. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

We’ve saved the best for last!

Over in Trench J, we have evidence of activity pre-dating the construction of Structure Five!

Built around 3300 BC, Five is about 200 years older than the large piered structures in Trench P (Structures One, Eight and Twelve). Four centuries lie between it and Structure Ten – the last major building, raised around 2900BC.

Built on natural glacial till, we have long wondered whether Five had been raised over the remains of an early timber building, or buildings.

Excavation elsewhere in Orkney suggests the switch from timber to stone occurs around 3300BC, meaning Structure Five was constructed around this transitionary period. So far we’ve had no evidence, but now have areas of burning underneath Five’s primary floor and a possible post-hole.

We’ve already mentioned the similarities between Structure Five and the Braes of Ha’Breck, in Wyre. The switch from timber to stone architecture was also noted there, as well as at the Wideford Hill and Smerquoy settlements on the Mainland.

It’s early days yet, but could we be looking at a wooden building on the same spot that was burned down at the end of its life? And upon which Five was raised? We’ll keep you posted!