Covers off for start of fresh dig at Swartigill Iron Age site in far north – 'It's a hidden gem of archaeology'

The community dig at Swartigill on the Thrumster Estate in Caithness has started up again and volunteers are welcome to come along and work at this "hidden gem of archaeology".

Previous seasons of excavation uncovered a complex series of Iron Age structures that provide an important window into Iron Age society away from the monumental broch architecture that has been better catalogued in Caithness.

Project officer Rick Barton from the Orkney Research Centre for Archaeology (ORCA) said: "The Burn of Swartigill dig is a hidden gem of archaeology really. It's an important Iron Age settlement that's going to tell us a lot about how people lived here 2000 years ago and further back from that too."

Rick said that some the earliest parts date back to the fourth to first centuries BC. "We know that some of the structures here date from the early to middle Iron Age but there seems to be evidence that there were earlier features here as well."

During the 2021 excavation, a substantial spread of prehistoric pottery was revealed by the bank of the burn, some of which have impressed finger decoration around the rim.

The excavation also encountered what may be the remains of some funerary activity. A small stone lined cist was discovered in this area; a common form of burial practice during the Bronze Age. The cist was situated close to soil layers rich in ashy residues and containing tiny fragments of burnt bone and the vitrified residue of fuel from burning. This vitrification occurs at the very high temperatures commonly seen in cremations.

An underground chamber called a souterrain was also discovered and may have been cooled by water flowing through small underground channels underneath its base – the most recent excavations appear to show water being diverted from the nearby burn for exactly that purpose. One of the archaeology team said it was not too far-fetched to think of it as an "Iron Age fridge".

Orkney-based archaeology student Sara Marinoni said she was delighted to be back at the site again: "The nice thing about this one is that it's a bit smaller than most digs in Orkney – you get more teaching done and the attention of the supervisor as well.

"At digs like at the Ness of Brodgar, there are just too many people coming in offering their skills and they're already experienced archaeologists."

Yarrows Heritage Trust (YHT) has once again organised the dig thanks to funding from the Lybster/Tananch Non-formal Learning fund (Eneco UK), Camster EON fund (Foundation Scotland) and Caithness Archaeological Trust.

Islay MacLeod from YHT was working at the site last week and said: "The scale of it is now astonishing. It was totally missed by the Victorian archaeologists." Islay had previously described it as one of the most "significant finds in the county since the Victorian era".

Local volunteer Rod Mann was clearing rubble from one of the trenches at the site and said that he had heard about the dig from YHT information posted online. "It's a really interesting site to visit and work on. It's not often you get this opportunity," he said.

Another student archaeologist, Fiona Tisatreta, comes from New Jersey originally and is studying at the University of Aberdeen. "It's the first Iron Age site I've been on. It's really exciting to be here and it helps you visualise certain techniques and practices that are used rather than just hearing about them."

The site is located near Thrumster House, a few miles south of Wick. To get to it, you need to take the Haster and Tannach road from Thrumster and look out for our signs just before the bridge crossing at the Burn of Swartigill.

There is limited parking at the roadside, and the dig is a short hike across boggy moorland.

Anyone interested in volunteering to help uncover this unique structure can find more information on the Scottish archaeology hub Dig It at www.digitscotland.com/events/swartigill-dig-2021/ or by emailing Enquiries.ORCA@uhi.ac.uk

Volunteers need not have any archaeological expertise and basic training will be given on the day. Visitors are also welcome and tours will be available as well as an Open Day event. The dig will continue until September 9.

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