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{{Short description|Archaeological site in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
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{{Use British English|date=April 2017}}
-->{{AfDM|page=Balbridie|date=2008 January 30|substed=yes}}
{{Infobox ancient site
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| type = ]
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| coordinates = {{coord|57.05356|-2.44325|display=inline}}
⚫ '''Balbridie''' is the site of ] timber-house in ], ], situated in the south ] near the ]. This archaeological site is one of the earliest permanent neolithic settlements in Scotland dating to 3400 to 4000 BC.<ref>Peter S. Bellwood, ''First Farmers: The Origins of Agricultural Societies'', 2005, Blackwell Publishing, 360 pages ISBN 0631205667</ref><ref>A.D.Fairweather and I. Ralston, 1993, ''The Neolithic Timber Hall at Balbridie'', Antiquity 67: 313-323</ref> In a ]an context, Whittle has indicated the rarity of such large Neolithic timber houses, citing Balbridie, a hall in ] and ] as a small set of such finds.<ref>A. W. R. Whittle and Norman Yoffee, ''Europe in the Neolithic: The Creation of New Worlds'', 1996, Cambridge University
| map_caption = Location shown in Aberdeenshire
Press, 459 pages ISBN 052144920</ref> The site is situated in the ] to the north of the ].<ref>United Kingdom Ordnance Survey Map Landranger 45, Stonehaven and Banchory, 1:50,000 scale, 2004</ref> Historical structures in this local area include ], ], ] and ].
| location = ], Aberdeenshire
| built = Early to mid 4th millennium BC
| length = {{convert|26|m|abbr=on}}
| width = {{convert|13|m|abbr=on}}
| area = {{convert|329.6|m2|abbr=on}}
| excavations = 1977-1980
| archaeologists = Nicholas Reynolds and Ian Ralston
| condition = No extant remains
| epochs = ]
| management = ]
| ownership = ]
| public_access = Yes
| designation1 = Scheduled Ancient Monument
| designation1_offname =
| designation1_date = 1978
| designation1_number = (]) 36669
}}
⚫ '''Balbridie''' is the site of a ] in ], ], situated on the south bank of the ], east of ].{{sfn|Fairweather|Ralston|1993}} The site is one of the earliest known permanent ] settlements in Scotland, dating from 3400 to 4000 BC. This is the largest Neolithic long house to be excavated in Britain.{{sfn|Fairweather|Ralston|1993}}{{sfn|Bellwood|2004}}{{sfn|Barclay|1998|page=15}} In a ]an context, Whittle has indicated the rarity of such large Neolithic timber houses, citing Balbridie, a hall in ], and ] as a small set of such finds.{{sfn|Whittle|1996}}

Neolithic features found in a later excavation at ] included post holes indicating a large rectangular structure comparable to Balbridie.<ref name="Canmore Station Brae">{{cite web | title=Dreghorn, Station Brae | website=Canmore | url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/273864/dreghorn-station-brae | access-date=22 February 2016}}</ref>

In 2022, a study of nitrogen content ancient grain at the site by the ] and ] published in the journal ] revealed details of neolithic farming techniques at the site suggesting that manure was not used in the area because of the quality of its soil.<ref>{{Cite web |last=HeritageDaily |date=2022-09-13 |title=Early Scottish farmers didn't use manure to fertilise their fields |url=https://www.heritagedaily.com/2022/09/early-scottish-farmers-didnt-use-manure-to-fertilise-their-fields/144641 |access-date=2022-09-15 |website=HeritageDaily - Archaeology News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bishop |first1=Rosie R. |last2=Gröcke |first2=Darren R. |last3=Ralston |first3=Ian |last4=Clarke |first4=David |last5=Lee |first5=Daniel H. J. |last6=Shepherd |first6=Alexandra |last7=Thomas |first7=Antonia S. |last8=Rowley-Conwy |first8=Peter A. |last9=Church |first9=Mike J. |title=Scotland's first farmers: new insights into early farming practices in North-west Europe |journal=Antiquity |year=2022 |volume=96 |issue=389 |language=en |pages=1087–1104 |doi=10.15184/aqy.2022.107 |s2cid=252285982 |issn=0003-598X|doi-access=free |hdl=20.500.11820/e7ac98c4-b81c-4c23-8032-7ad1dd54cdd1 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>


==Discovery== ==Discovery==
The Balbridie site was not discovered until the year 1976 when ] revealed ] suggesting a very large structure<ref>Archibald Watt, ''Highways and Byways around Kincardine'', Stonehaven Heritage Society (1985)</ref> in an otherwise agricultural area. Subsequent archaeological work on site allowed the conceptual reconstruction of an enormous timber structure including the identification of large timber ]s. The Balbridie site was discovered in 1976 by ] carried out by the ]. The unusually dry summer revealed previously undetected ]s suggesting a very large structure.<ref>{{cite news|title=Balbridie: Early architectural site|work=]|location=London|date=27 May 1978|page=3|first1=Ian|last1=Ralston|first2=Nicholas|last2=Reynolds}}</ref> Subsequent archaeological work on site allowed the conceptual reconstruction of an enormous timber structure including the identification of large timber ]s.


==Relationship to other very early features== ==Relationship to other very early features==
The vicinity of Balbridie includes a number of other notable archaeological features including the Neolithic site of ]. Watt has pointed out that this local area attracted an unusual density of very early settlement in Scotland, possibly being the earliest area of permanent settlement in that country. Balbridie is not only close to the ] but also to the ] ]; this ancient route was used by the Romans in their northern movement through Scotland, specifically connecting ] to ] ]s. The vicinity of Balbridie includes a number of other notable archaeological features including the Neolithic site of ]. Watt has pointed out that this local area attracted an unusual density of very early settlement in Scotland. Balbridie is not only close to the ] but also to the ] ], the route of early crossings inland through the lower Grampian Mountains.


==See also== ==See also==
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==References== ==References==
;Notes
{{reflist}} {{reflist}}
;Bibliography
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book|first=Gordon|last=Barclay|title=Farmers, Temples and Tombs: Scotland in the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age|year=1998|publisher=Canongate Books|location=Edinburgh|isbn=978-0-862-41821-2}}
*{{cite book|first=Peter S.|last=Bellwood|title=First Farmers: The Origins of Agricultural Societies|year=2004|publisher=]|location=Oxford|isbn=978-0-631-20566-1}}
*{{cite journal|first1=Alan D.|last1=Fairweather|first2=Ian B.M.|last2=Ralston|year=1993|title=The Neolithic Timber Hall at Balbridie|journal=]|issue=67|pages=313–323|doi=10.1017/S0003598X00045373|s2cid=161773998 }}
*{{cite book|first1=Alasdair|last1=Whittle|title=Europe in the Neolithic: The Creation of New Worlds|year=1996|publisher=]|location=Cambridge|isbn=978-0-521-44920-5}}
{{refend}}


]

]

⚫ ]
⚫ ] <!-- not a subcat of Neolithic -->
]
]
]
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{{Aberdeenshire-stub}} {{Aberdeenshire-stub}}
{{Scotland-hist-stub}}
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⚫ ] <!-- not a subcat of Neolithic -->

Latest revision as of 15:59, 17 October 2024

Archaeological site in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK

Balbridie
LocationBanchory, Aberdeenshire
Coordinates57°03′13″N 2°26′36″W / 57.05356°N 2.44325°W / 57.05356; -2.44325
TypeNeolithic long house
Length26 m (85 ft)
Width13 m (43 ft)
Area329.6 m (3,548 sq ft)
History
FoundedEarly to mid 4th millennium BC
PeriodsNeolithic
Site notes
Excavation dates1977-1980
ArchaeologistsNicholas Reynolds and Ian Ralston
ConditionNo extant remains
OwnershipHistoric Scotland
ManagementRCAHMS
Public accessYes
Scheduled monument
Designated1978
Reference no.(CANMORE) 36669

Balbridie is the site of a Neolithic long house in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, situated on the south bank of the River Dee, east of Banchory. The site is one of the earliest known permanent Neolithic settlements in Scotland, dating from 3400 to 4000 BC. This is the largest Neolithic long house to be excavated in Britain. In a European context, Whittle has indicated the rarity of such large Neolithic timber houses, citing Balbridie, a hall in Cambridgeshire, and Fengate as a small set of such finds.

Neolithic features found in a later excavation at Dreghorn included post holes indicating a large rectangular structure comparable to Balbridie.

In 2022, a study of nitrogen content ancient grain at the site by the University of Stavanger and Durham University published in the journal Antiquity revealed details of neolithic farming techniques at the site suggesting that manure was not used in the area because of the quality of its soil.

Discovery

The Balbridie site was discovered in 1976 by aerial photography carried out by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. The unusually dry summer revealed previously undetected cropmarks suggesting a very large structure. Subsequent archaeological work on site allowed the conceptual reconstruction of an enormous timber structure including the identification of large timber postholes.

Relationship to other very early features

The vicinity of Balbridie includes a number of other notable archaeological features including the Neolithic site of Bucharn. Watt has pointed out that this local area attracted an unusual density of very early settlement in Scotland. Balbridie is not only close to the River Dee but also to the Elsick Mounth trackway, the route of early crossings inland through the lower Grampian Mountains.

See also

References

Notes
  1. ^ Fairweather & Ralston 1993.
  2. Bellwood 2004.
  3. Barclay 1998, p. 15.
  4. Whittle 1996.
  5. "Dreghorn, Station Brae". Canmore. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  6. HeritageDaily (13 September 2022). "Early Scottish farmers didn't use manure to fertilise their fields". HeritageDaily - Archaeology News. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  7. Bishop, Rosie R.; Gröcke, Darren R.; Ralston, Ian; Clarke, David; Lee, Daniel H. J.; Shepherd, Alexandra; Thomas, Antonia S.; Rowley-Conwy, Peter A.; Church, Mike J. (2022). "Scotland's first farmers: new insights into early farming practices in North-west Europe". Antiquity. 96 (389): 1087–1104. doi:10.15184/aqy.2022.107. hdl:20.500.11820/e7ac98c4-b81c-4c23-8032-7ad1dd54cdd1. ISSN 0003-598X. S2CID 252285982.
  8. Ralston, Ian; Reynolds, Nicholas (27 May 1978). "Balbridie: Early architectural site". The Times. London. p. 3.
Bibliography
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