Built to last

Mesolithic and Neolithic settlement at two sites beside the Forth estuary, Scotland

Abstract

A programme of archaeological investigations undertaken in advance of the Forth Replacement Crossing, at Castlandhill on Rosyth and Echline Fields in South Queensferry, revealed archaeological features dating from the Mesolithic to medieval periods, including Neolithic Grooved Ware and Impressed Ware pottery dating to the 4th to 3rd millennium BC. The principal focus of this paper is the Mesolithic remains, which are of major significance for the study of Mesolithic habitation in Scotland; particularly given the finding of a sunken-floored structure at Echline Fields that has returned a date of approximately 8300 cal BC. It is the second such structure discovered in Scotland and also the earliest yet. The sites add to a growing group of Mesolithic settlements characterised by semi-permanence and value of place in a period that has often been more associated with high mobility and temporary camps. Lithic information from these sites further acknowledges the presence of narrow-blade technology in northern Britain during this pioneering period.