Description

The monument comprises the buried remains of a palisaded settlement, roundhouse, pit circle and cluster of pits. The roundhouse is Late Neolithic in date (3000BC to 2500BC), while the pit circle is potentially a cremation cemetery dating to the early Bronze Age (between around 2500BC and 1600BC). The palisaded settlement dates to the Iron Age and was probably in use between around 800BC and 400AD. The cluster of pits is undated but likely prehistoric in date. The monument is has been recorded as cropmarks recorded on aerial photographs. It occupies a gentle northwest facing slope, at about 30m above sea level.

The roundhouse is defined by a palisade measuring about 8m in diameter enclosing a setting of four postholes measuring around 2m across. It is not clear if the outer palisade is formed by close-set postholes or a continuous palisade. The pit circle and cluster of pits lie around 40m south-southeast and 12m southwest of the roundhouse respectively. The pit circle is formed of large oval pits defining an incomplete circle about 8m in diameter. The palisaded settlement is oval in form measuring about 39m north-northwest / south-southeast by 43m transversely within a narrow palisade ditch. A single roundhouse has been recorded within the settlement, visible as a ring ditch measuring around 13m in overall diameter. There is a general scattering of pits is both within and around the settlement. The pit cluster lies around 38m east-southeast of the roundhouse and is visible as a scattering of pits which broadly define an oval shape.

The scheduled area is irregular. It includes the remains described above and an area around within which evidence relating to the monument's construction, use and abandonment is expected to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map. The scheduling extends up to but does not include the stone dyke to the east of the road and the post and wire fence on the west of the road. The scheduling specifically excludes the above ground elements of all post and wire fences.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The national importance of the monument is demonstrated in the following way(s) (see Designations Policy and Selection Guidance, Annex 1, para 17):

a. The monument is of national importance because it makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the past, as the buried remains of a palisaded settlement, roundhouse, pit circle and cluster of pits. It can make a significant addition to our understanding of the date, use and development of prehistoric settlements in eastern Scotland. It can add to our understanding of the design and construction of burial monuments and the nature of burial and ritual practices during the Bronze Age.

b. The monument retains structural and other physical attributes which make a significant contribution to our understanding of the past. In particular there is significant potential for the survival of buried archaeological deposits. Although no features survive above the ground, the overall plan of the monument is clear and understandable.

c. The monument is a rare example of a Late Neolithic roundhouse; few similar examples have been identified in Scotland. Pit circles of the form identified at Bogtonlea are highly unusual and likely represent enclosed cremation cemeteries.

d. The monument is a particularly good example of a palisaded settlement and pit cluster. It is therefore an important representative of these monument types.

e. The monument has research potential which could significantly contribute to our understanding of the past. It can significantly expand our understanding of domestic settlement, agriculture and economy over an extended time period. It can tell us about the nature of burial practices, ritual and belief systems during the Bronze Age. The monument can help us understand the character of prehistoric settlement as well as the long term occupation of the landscape. It can add to our understanding of the meaning and importance of death, burial and ritual during the Bronze Age as well as the structure and organisation of society and economy more widely during prehistory.

f. The monument makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the historic landscape by its association with a wider cluster of later prehistoric remains.

Assessment of Cultural Significance

This statement of national importance has been informed by the following assessment of cultural significance.

Intrinsic characteristics (how the remains of a site or place contribute to our knowledge of the past)

The monument is the remains of a palisaded settlement, roundhouse, pit circle and cluster of pits. All have been recorded as cropmarks on aerial photographs and survive as buried deposits below the plough soil. Although no features survive above ground, the overall plan of the monument is clear and understandable.

The roundhouse is visible as a small structure comprising a square setting of postholes within an outer fence. The outer boundary is defined either by close-set individual postholes or a continuous palisade. Excavations of similar structures elsewhere e.g. Greenbogs (Canmore ID 107496); Leadketty (SM9158; Canmore ID 26658) indicate they were built and used between around 3000BC and 2500BC. They represent domestic structures. The outer boundaries of these excavated examples were formed of close-set postholes. The internal postholes were dug more deeply than the outer enclosing postholes and would have held roof supports. The monument at Bogtonlea, therefore, can tell us about the nature and character of such houses, including the building techniques used to construct them.

The pit circle has been recorded as an elongated circle measuring around 8m in diameter and defined by large oval pits measuring up to about 3m across. The eastern arc of the monument has not been recorded, but can be expected to survive below the plough soil. There is a single pit visible within the area enclosed. Although clear interpretation of this monument is difficult, the large size and form of the pits indicate they are unlikely to represent postholes. A similar site excavated nearby (Broich Road, Crieff; Canmore ID 320477) was shown to represent an enclosed cremation cemetery dating to the early Bronze Age. Here a circle of large oval pits enclosed a series of cremation burials. The large pits had been backfilled with deposits of stones, boulders and cremated material. The monument at Bogtonlea therefore likely represents a similar form of burial monument and has the potential to tell us about funerary activity and belief during the Bronze Age.

The palisaded settlement is visible as a large narrow ditched enclosure within which a single roundhouse has been recorded. Excavations of similar settlements elsewhere e.g. Ravelrig Quarry (Canmore ID 305220); Lower Greenyards (Canmore ID 47244) indicate that they were built and in use between around 800BC and 400AD. They represent enclosed settlements. These excavations revealed internal features such as roundhouses and yards, not all of which were visible though cropmarking. A scattering of pits is visible both within the settlement and outside and is likely related to the occupation of this site. The palisaded settlement can add to our knowledge of the form and function of enclosed settlements during prehistory as well as changes in fashion and form through the use of the site.

The cluster of pits has been recorded as a broadly oval scattering of large pits. The date of the pit cluster is not certain. It is likely to related to the settlement activity identified in the area, and could date anywhere from the Neolithic period to the Iron Age or later. Such pits tend to contain a variety of artefacts, deposits and environmental remains associated with settlement activity, including pottery and stone artefacts, food waste and animal bone. These pits therefore have the potential to tell us about the occupation and use of this location during prehistory.

The monument displays an extended development sequence representing both settlement and funerary activity from the Neolithic period to the Iron Age. There is good potential for the survival of archaeological features and deposits, including occupation and abandonment debris, artefacts and environmental remains such as charcoal or pollen within, beneath and around the visible features. This monument has the potential to provide information about the date and character of the sites identified at Bogtonlea as well as the changing use of the landscape over an extended time period. It can tell us the nature and development of settlement and society from the Neolithic to the Iron Age as well as the character of burial and funerary activity during the Bronze Age. The monument can add to our understanding of contemporary land-use and environment and can tell us about the economy, diet and social status of the occupants, as well as the structure of contemporary society and economy.

Contextual characteristics (how a site or place relates to its surroundings and/or to our existing knowledge of the past)

Roundhouses of late Neolithic date are rare within the archaeological record of Britain as a whole. Three similar structures have been excavated in Scotland (two at Greenbogs in Aberdeenshire, one at Leadketty in Perth and Kinross). A small number of unexcavated examples have been recorded as cropmarks on aerial photographs, including a cluster of roundhouses at Chapelton (Canmore ID 143379) and a single example at Balcathie (Canmore ID 35378). The monument at Bogtonlea therefore represents a rare example of a later Neolithic house.

Although circles of pits or postholes are known elsewhere in the archaeological record, pit circles of the nature and form recorded at Bogtonlea are rare. Comparable examples include the enclosed cremation cemetery excavated at Broich Road, Crieff (Canmore ID 320477) and the arc of large pits containing cists within the early Bronze Age cemetery excavated at Holly Road, Leven in Fife (Canmore ID 31321). The enclosed cremation cemetery excavated at Belhie (Canmore ID 25985) around 7.5km west and defined by a series of elongated pits likely represents a related monument form. A further 30 further enclosed cremation cemeteries of varying form can be identified in Scotland. The pit circle at Bogtonlea therefore is of particular significance as a likely Bronze Age cremation cemetery of unusual form.

Palisaded settlements are more common and are found across Scotland. The example at Bogtonlea is of particular significance because of its position within a complex of archaeological sites ranging in date from the Neolithic period to the Iron Age. It is likely related to the broad scattering of later prehistoric settlement in the area. This includes a roundhouse around 170m northeast (SM8887; Canmore ID 26591) and roundhouses about 2.5km west-southwest (SM9159; Canmore ID 68299).

The monument therefore has the potential to enhance and broaden our understanding of the character and development of settlement and economy from the Neolithic to the Iron Age both in eastern Scotland and more widely. It can tell us about the nature and development of Bronze Age funerary practice in eastern Scotland and more widely. The monument can add to our knowledge of social status, settlement hierarchy and changing settlement patterns, as well as important connections between communities during the Neolithic and Iron Age. It can add to our knowledge of the connection between domestic and funerary activity during the Bronze Age.

Associative characteristics (how a site or place relates to people, events, and/or historic and social movements)

The monument has no known associative characteristics.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

Historic Environment Scotland http://www.canmore.org.uk reference number CANMORE ID 26629, 69969 (accessed on 10/01/2019).

Barton, T. (2014) New Primary School, Broich Road, Crieff. Archaeological watching brief. CFA Archaeology Ltd. Report no. 3184. Unpublished report.

Brophy, K. (2016) On Ancient Farms: a survey of Neolithic potentially domestic locations in lowland Scotland in Brophy, K. MacGregor, G. and Ralston, I. The Neolithic of mainland Scotland. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. pp 200-235.

Lewis, J. and Terry, J. (2004) The excavation of an early Bronze Age cemetery at Holly Road, Leven, Fife. Tayside and Fife Archaeological Journal, vol. 10. pp 23-53.

Millican, K. (2016) The timber monuments of Neolithic Scotland. BAR British Series 623.

Noble, G. Greig, M. and Millican, K. (2011) Excavations at a multi-period site at Greenbogs, Aberdeenshire, Scotland and the four-post timber architecture tradition of Late Neolithic Britain and Ireland. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 78. pp. 135-171.

Pollard, T. (1997) Excavation of a Neolithic settlement and ritual complex at Beckton Farm, Lockerbie, Dumfries & Galloway, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 127. pp. 69-121.

Ralston, I. (1988) Belhie (Auchterarder parish) enclosed cremation cemetery, minihenge and other cropmarked features, Discovery and Excavation in Scotland. p 27.

Rennie, C. (2013) A room with a view: excavations at Ravelrig Quarry. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 143. pp 137-156.

Rideout, J.S. (1996) Excavation of a promontory fort and a palisaded homestead at Lower Greenyards, Bannockburn, Stirling, 1982-5. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland,126. pp199-269.

Canmore

https://canmore.org.uk/site/69969/
https://canmore.org.uk/site/26629/

Source: Historic Environment Scotland