BUDDING local archaeologists braved blustery conditions in late September as volunteers from Stronafian Community Forest and the wider Glendaruel community joined forces with Archaeology Scotland’s Adopt-a-Monument team for another season of excavation at the Creag Liath (Grey Stones) site.
Undeterred by the approach of Storm Amy, the 2025 dig saw a spirited crew of community volunteers extend the main trench, continuing their careful exploration of one of Cowal’s most intriguing archaeological sites.
The site sits in the shadow of Auchategan, a multi-phase settlement excavated in the late 1960’s by a team led by Dorothy Marshall who uncovered hut circles, a stone house, an Iron Age bloomery, a post-hole hut, a Bronze Age cairn and cist burials and two Neolithic occupation layers all sitting on top of each other within a depth of just 1.2 metres.
Andrew Jepson of Archaeology Scotland commented: At Creag Liath sufficient evidence was found in 2022 to suggest humans had interacted with the site in the past. An excavation plan was formulated with the Stronafian Community Forest and Colintraive & Glendaruel Development Trust and over the last three years the team has found prehistoric pottery, possibly dating to the Early Bronze Age, worked quartz and a large upright stone believed to sit within a series of interconnected and enigmatic stone-built cells.
The slot for the upright was packed with coloured stones. As investigations continue, the team hopes to learn more about this feature and the wider site and discover what connections Creag Liath has with a number of other prehistoric features nearby.
Midway through the excavation the volunteers took a day out to visit a number of fascinating archaeological sites in the forest with prehistoric origins, including the aforementioned site at Auchategan, the Neolithic chambered long cairn at Lephinkill and a Cup and Ring Marked Stone that had been laser-scanned back in 2018.
Andrew added: “It was such a privilege to be joined by Duncan MacIntyre who had attended Dorothy Marshalls dig in the late 1960’s and to listen to the fascinating insights and stories of what it was like to dig such an important site in such esteemed company. In her lifetime Dorothy contributed significantly to Scottish archaeology and was a much loved and respected figure in the archaeological sector.”
Archaeology Scotland would like to thank all the volunteers from Stronafian Community Forest, Cowal Heritage Society, Kilmodan Primary School, Strachur Primary School and Dunoon Grammar who have taken part in excavations since 2022 and for their help with the project, Colintraive and Glendaruel Development Trust. The project is funded by the Cruach Mhor Wind Farm Trust and Historic Environment Scotland.
For more details on the dig visit stronafianforest.org.uk/archaeology/.
