The surface of Layer 1, spit 3 revealed the presence
of a number of features which appeared to be pits,
many beneath the limestone boulders revealed in the
preceding spit. 1:3 F1 was near the south end
of the unit. It was a darker irregular stain (7.5YR 4/4)
that extended in the matrix around the sandstone ½
disc uncovered in 1:2 which sat over a limestone block. Two samples of charcoal were taken from the feature (cat. 452 and 478) for radiocarbon
dating (see results below). A number of artefacts were
found within this feature including ceramic earthenware
sherds (cat. 475), found beneath the limestone slab, and clay beads (cat.s 451, 465). When the ½ disc
was removed the limestone block beneath it was more
clearly apparent as were some ceramic sherds (cat.
453), a small piece of bone and some charcoal. Some
large pot sherds (cat. 464) found to the east of the large
limestone boulder c. 3cm into the 1:3 level. The matrix
around the limestone in F1 was gravelly and the soil
under the limestone was dark brown (7.5YR 4/4).
1:3 F2 was a small circular shaped area with differently
coloured soil (7.5YR 4/4) located to the north of 1:3 F1
but it contained no artefacts.
Near Jar 01020130 a feature named 1:3 F3 extended into
the unit - the soil was gravelly and notably different in
colour (7.5YR 4/3) to the surrounding matrix. There
was some red clay mixed into the feature’s matrix indicating
it had been excavated, in the past, into the
natural substrate. This large feature encompassed the
substantial limestone slab and some smaller limestone
chunks. Found within the feature were a broken ceramic vessel (cat. 454) and some earthenware sherds
(cat. 455, 476). In the portion of the feature that ran
under jar 01020130 a charcoal sample was taken (cat.
449). The two limestone blocks were removed from
the feature and human bone and a tooth found and
it was renamed Burial 4. A fragment of this
bone was sampled for radiocarbon dating and a piece
of charcoal from the burial context was also sampled
(cat. 488). The results of the dating of these samples is
presented below.
Continued excavation revealed the presence of three
human skulls and further long bones in the feature.
1:3 F4 was similar in shape to 1:3 F2 but contained some
ceramic sherds (cat.456) and had a gravelly fill (7.5YR 5/3).
On the east side of the unit, another feature of darker
(7.5YR 4/4), gravelly soil was apparent near Jar
01020126 in which sat large limestone blocks. Around
these were found some pot sherds (cat. 457) and a small ceramic globular vessel in the east baulk (cat.
462). This was labelled 1:3 F5. Upon removal of the
limestone block, human teeth and bone fragments
were discovered and the feature was labelled as Burial
1.
To the north-west of Burial 1 were found three pieces
of limestone, a larger square slab and two smaller irregular
pieces, in the middle of the unit (labelled 1:3
F6). There was no visible feature in the soil around
these but human bone was found in association with
the limestone and this feature was subsequently labelled
as Burial 2. A few ceramic sherds (cat.
459) were recovered around the limestone. After removal
of the limestone a circular feature of dark soil indicated a pit and some more, very fragmentary bone,
was recovered directly under the limestone.
1:3 F7 was a darker (7.5YR 5/3), hour-glass shaped patch
of gravelly soil closer to the west baulk. This feature
contained earthenware sherds (cat. 461).
In the north of the unit, the large collection of limestone
blocks of varying sizes first uncovered in 1:1,
sat upon a darker, gravelly soil (5YR 3/2) flecked with
charcoal and some small pieces of quartz. A sample
of this charcoal (cat. 458) was taken for radiocarbon
dating (see results below). This was originally labelled
as 1:3 F8, though the name was changed to Burial 3
upon discovery of human bone on the eastern side of the feature beneath one of the pieces of limestone. The bone sat atop another water-worn limestone
slab. A large piece of bone was found beneath the limestone block in the centre of the feature. Heavy clay
was found in the feature’s centre. More pale limestone
(small slabs) appeared as excavation of the feature continued and more bones were found. Ceramic sherds
were also found in the feature (cat. 460). In total, four
fragmentary human skulls were uncovered in the feature
as well as some fragmentary bone.
Another small feature was found under a limestone
block in the south end labelled 1:3 F9. The soil was
much darker (5YR 2.5/3) under the limestone and a
tiny fragment of bone and a small pot was found c.
5cm and 10cm respectively. A single sherd was found
(cat. 463) in this feature.
1:3 F10 comprised darker soil (7.5YR 4/4) in a gravelly
matrix but there were no artefacts or bone encountered
within.
Two further features, 1:3 F11, a piece of limestone, and
1:3 F12, also limestone, were labelled but nothing aside
from some ceramic sherds were found around 1:3 F11
(cat. 470).
A piece of charcoal (cat. 472) was taken from under
the megalithic Jar 01020130 (from 20cm beneath the
widest part of the jar). Some small chips of sandstone
(n=10-12) were found around the base of the jar.
Elsewhere in the unit at this level were found some
ceramic sherds (cat. 466), a hammerstone (cat. 471)
and an iron fragment from the sieve (cat. 474).
The surface of Layer 1, spit 3 revealed the presence of a number of features which appeared to be pits, many beneath the limestone boulders revealed in the preceding spit. 1:3 F1 was near the south end of the unit. It was a darker irregular stain (7.5YR 4/4) that extended in the matrix around the sandstone ½ disc uncovered in 1:2 which sat over a limestone block. Two samples of charcoal were taken from the feature (cat. 452 and 478) for radiocarbon dating (see results below). A number of artefacts were found within this feature including ceramic earthenware sherds (cat. 475), found beneath the limestone slab, and clay beads (cat.s 451, 465). When the ½ disc was removed the limestone block beneath it was more clearly apparent as were some ceramic sherds (cat. 453), a small piece of bone and some charcoal. Some large pot sherds (cat. 464) found to the east of the large limestone boulder c. 3cm into the 1:3 level. The matrix around the limestone in F1 was gravelly and the soil under the limestone was dark brown (7.5YR 4/4). 1:3 F2 was a small circular shaped area with differently coloured soil (7.5YR 4/4) located to the north of 1:3 F1 but it contained no artefacts. Near Jar 01020130 a feature named 1:3 F3 extended into the unit - the soil was gravelly and notably different in colour (7.5YR 4/3) to the surrounding matrix. There was some red clay mixed into the feature’s matrix indicating it had been excavated, in the past, into the natural substrate. This large feature encompassed the substantial limestone slab and some smaller limestone chunks. Found within the feature were a broken ceramic vessel (cat. 454) and some earthenware sherds (cat. 455, 476). In the portion of the feature that ran under jar 01020130 a charcoal sample was taken (cat. 449). The two limestone blocks were removed from the feature and human bone and a tooth found and it was renamed Burial 4. A fragment of this bone was sampled for radiocarbon dating and a piece of charcoal from the burial context was also sampled (cat. 488). The results of the dating of these samples is presented below. Continued excavation revealed the presence of three human skulls and further long bones in the feature. 1:3 F4 was similar in shape to 1:3 F2 but contained some ceramic sherds (cat.456) and had a gravelly fill (7.5YR 5/3). On the east side of the unit, another feature of darker (7.5YR 4/4), gravelly soil was apparent near Jar 01020126 in which sat large limestone blocks. Around these were found some pot sherds (cat. 457) and a small ceramic globular vessel in the east baulk (cat. 462). This was labelled 1:3 F5. Upon removal of the limestone block, human teeth and bone fragments were discovered and the feature was labelled as Burial 1. To the north-west of Burial 1 were found three pieces of limestone, a larger square slab and two smaller irregular pieces, in the middle of the unit (labelled 1:3 F6). There was no visible feature in the soil around these but human bone was found in association with the limestone and this feature was subsequently labelled as Burial 2. A few ceramic sherds (cat. 459) were recovered around the limestone. After removal of the limestone a circular feature of dark soil indicated a pit and some more, very fragmentary bone, was recovered directly under the limestone. 1:3 F7 was a darker (7.5YR 5/3), hour-glass shaped patch of gravelly soil closer to the west baulk. This feature contained earthenware sherds (cat. 461). In the north of the unit, the large collection of limestone blocks of varying sizes first uncovered in 1:1, sat upon a darker, gravelly soil (5YR 3/2) flecked with charcoal and some small pieces of quartz. A sample of this charcoal (cat. 458) was taken for radiocarbon dating (see results below). This was originally labelled as 1:3 F8, though the name was changed to Burial 3 upon discovery of human bone on the eastern side of the feature beneath one of the pieces of limestone. The bone sat atop another water-worn limestone slab. A large piece of bone was found beneath the limestone block in the centre of the feature. Heavy clay was found in the feature’s centre. More pale limestone (small slabs) appeared as excavation of the feature continued and more bones were found. Ceramic sherds were also found in the feature (cat. 460). In total, four fragmentary human skulls were uncovered in the feature as well as some fragmentary bone. Another small feature was found under a limestone block in the south end labelled 1:3 F9. The soil was much darker (5YR 2.5/3) under the limestone and a tiny fragment of bone and a small pot was found c. 5cm and 10cm respectively. A single sherd was found (cat. 463) in this feature. 1:3 F10 comprised darker soil (7.5YR 4/4) in a gravelly matrix but there were no artefacts or bone encountered within. Two further features, 1:3 F11, a piece of limestone, and 1:3 F12, also limestone, were labelled but nothing aside from some ceramic sherds were found around 1:3 F11 (cat. 470). A piece of charcoal (cat. 472) was taken from under the megalithic Jar 01020130 (from 20cm beneath the widest part of the jar). Some small chips of sandstone (n=10-12) were found around the base of the jar. Elsewhere in the unit at this level were found some ceramic sherds (cat. 466), a hammerstone (cat. 471) and an iron fragment from the sieve (cat. 474).