Archaeologists uncover 2,000-year-old prehistoric settlement on the site of HMP Highland in Inverness
Archaeologists have uncovered a 2,000-year-old prehistoric settlement as part of development work on the site of the new HMP Highland in Inverness.
The excavation has led to the discovery of a roundhouse settlement relating to Iron Age and Bronze Age occupation of the site, which also contained earlier prehistoric remains dating back to at least 3,000 BC.
A wide variety of prehistoric remains were found at the HMP Highland site, including occupation areas related to domestic and industrial activities and structural evidence from the roundhouses and other timber structures.
The settlement consisted of 16 roundhouses that survived as circular alignments of postholes, where timber posts had once supported substantial hut buildings. Some of the house sites had been enclosed by palisade fencing to protect the interior.
The excavation team from AOC Archaeology Group worked alongside contractors from UBCivils and Balfour Beatty to ensure careful excavation of extensive buried remains.
AOC’s Mary Peteranna said, “An excavation like this is a real team effort. We worked closely with the contractors to ensure construction progressed while the archaeologists worked.
“The collaboration was made possible by the support of Scottish Prison Service. They facilitated the process of safeguarding the archaeology on the site and have been fully supportive of presentation of the results so that it is available for the public. This is a truly important part of the cultural heritage of Inverness.”
The new HMP Highland site in Inverness sits within a much larger archaeological landscape where nationally significant archaeological material has been previously found – including activity spanning several millennia.
The archaeologists recovered a variety of prehistoric artefacts, including metal artefacts of iron and copper-alloy, stone tools such as whetstones and querns, and pottery and worked flint.
Within the roundhouse settlement, debris from iron-working was spread over the entire area. In some discrete areas, clay moulds and copper-alloy material represented the casting of specialised objects, such as swords associated with the late Bronze Age, up to 3000 years ago.
Lorraine Roughan, SPS project executive for HMP Highland, said: “We were delighted to hear of the significant archaeological discovery made by the team from AOC Archaeology Group, at the site of the new HMP Highland.
“This discovery encapsulates the importance of the site to the community of Inverness, both historically and in the present day.
“The construction of HMP Highland has so far seen the creation of new jobs and apprenticeships for the local area, and we look forward to maintaining this community focus with more to come in future.
“HMP Highland will allow us to better serve local communities, meet the needs of people in our care, and support our staff. Enhanced security, greater digital capability, modern living spaces, and a new Community Connections hub with an improved visits area, will enhance dignity and decency for all.”
The work was undertaken during the first stages of construction by a team of archaeologists on behalf of Scottish Prison Service.
The story of the excavation is now available online on AOC’s interactive website.
The website allows interaction with digital imagery of key artefacts and a reconstruction of the prehistoric site, alongside results and images from the excavation.
