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The timber halls ex-cavated at Carnoustie between 2016 and 2017 are some of the most significant Neolithic discoveries in Scotland in recent decades, particularly considering that the bigger of the two halls is the largest of its period yet discovered in the country (see CA 426). And that’s not to mention the unusual Bronze Age hoard that was also uncovered there (CA 428).
In this site report, the desk-based assessment, excavation, and post-excavation analysis are clearly and precisely documented, allowing the results of an important project to be fully appreciated. This is perhaps not surprising, as GUARD Archaeology site reports are, commendably, always promptly and proficiently published on Archaeology Reports Online (ARO). Most do not make it to a full hardback publication, but Carnoustie deserves this recognition. Perhaps an opportunity was lost, however, to stray from the standard site report layout in this instance, and include a full chapter that delved more into the context of the site, and how it connects with what we know about early Neolithic Scotland in general.
REVIEW BY KK
Neolithic Timber Halls and a Bronze Age Settlement with Hoard at Carnoustie, Angus
Beverley Ballin Smith, Alan Hunter Blair, and Warren Bailie
Archaeopress, £80, or free eBook
ISBN 978-1805831334
