‘The finest set of cup and ring marks in existence’: the story of the Cochno Stone, West Dunbartonshire

The Cochno Stone is one of the most extensive and highly decorated prehistoric rock-art outcrops in Britain. It is located on the northern urban fringe of West Dunbartonshire beside Faifley, Clydebank, in a park in the foothills of the Kilpatrick Hills. First re-discovered by antiquarians toward the end of the nineteenth century, this outcrop subsequently became the focus of the attentions of Ludovic McLellan Mann in the 1930s, who decorated the stone with an elaborate painted colour-scheme. Expanding urbanisation, visitor numbers and graffiti prompted the authorities to bury the stone beneath soil for its own protection in 1965. During two seasons of fieldwork in 2015 and 2016, the Cochno Stone was exposed for short periods of time to allow for an assessment to be made of the condition of the stone surface, and digital and photogrammetric recording to take place. Provisional results of the fieldwork are reported on here, but the main focus of this paper is to present as fully as possible for the first time the biography of the Cochno Stone from antiquarian discovery to the present day. The paper concludes with thoughts about the future of this monument

Cremation practices and the creation of monument complexes: the Neolithic cremation cemetery at Forteviot, Strathearn, Perth & Kinross, Scotland, and its comparanda

Around the beginning of the 3rd millennium cal bc a cremation cemetery was established at Forteviot, central Scotland. This place went on to become one of the largest monument complexes identified in Mainland Scotland, with the construction of a palisaded enclosure, timber structures, and a series of henge monuments and other enclosures. The cemetery was established between 3080 and 2900 cal bc, probably in the 30th century cal bc, which is contemporary with the cremation cemetery at Stonehenge. Nine discrete deposits of cremated bone, representing the remains of at least 18 people, were identified. In most instances they were placed within cut features and, in one case, a series of cremation deposits was associated with a broken standing stone. This paper includes the first detailed assessment of the cremated remains at Forteviot and the features associated with the cemetery, and explores how the establishment of this cemetery may have been both a catalyst and inspiration for the elaborate monument building and prolonged acts of remembrance that occurred at this location over a period of almost 1000 years. The paper also outlines the parallels for Forteviot across Britain and, for the first time, draws together the dating evidence (including Bayesian modelling) for this major category of evidence for considering the nature of late 4th/early 3rd millennium cal bc society. The results and discussion have wide implications and resonances for contemplating the establishment and evolution of monument complexes in prehistoric Britain and beyond

Build n burn: using fire as a tool to evoke, educate and entertain

The visceral nature of fire was exploited in the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods in Britain by the burning down of timber buildings and monuments, as well as the cremation of the dead. These big fires would have created memories, perhaps even ‘flashbulb memories’, and this powerful mnemonic aspect of fire was likely of significance to the social and religious lives of individuals, families and communities. This article introduces the Build N Burn concept, where fires are recreated and deployed alongside public talks, performances, experimental archaeology activities and demonstrations by craft specialists to create memorable and informative public events. Three public engagements to date, two on the island of Arran and one in Caithness, both Scotland, are described here. In each case, we constructed replica timber structures inspired by local prehistoric sites, and then burned these down in a free-to-attend public event at dusk, evoking the culmination of a prehistoric festival. Build N Burn has, at its core, the principle of delivering memorable experiences for the public inspired by prehistory, underpinned by research and experiment, using events which draw on cross-sectoral collaboration and working with local communities. This article offers a critical reflection on work to date, and discusses future potential for such activities, utilizing the mnemonic power and transformational potential of fire for public engagement and experimental archaeology

Urban prehistoric enclosures: empty spaces/busy places

A discussion of Neolithic enclosures as empty spaces in the past, and present. Our archaeological techniques often reveal large apparently empty spaces within enclosures of Neolithic date such as cursus monuments and palisaded enclosures, but is this because activity left no surface traces? By contrast contemporary prehistoric-style enclosures often show material traces of gatherings, deposition. This paper looks at Balfarg henge and the Sighthill stone circle as case-studies

The cursus monuments of Scotland

Abstract available: p. [ii

Urban prehistoric enclosures: empty spaces/busy places

A discussion of Neolithic enclosures as empty spaces in the past, and present. Our archaeological techniques often reveal large apparently empty spaces within enclosures of Neolithic date such as cursus monuments and palisaded enclosures, but is this because activity left no surface traces? By contrast contemporary prehistoric-style enclosures often show material traces of gatherings, deposition. This paper looks at Balfarg henge and the Sighthill stone circle as case-studies

The Brexit hypothesis and prehistory

Archaeologists have more opportunities than ever to disseminate their research widely—and the public more opportunities to engage and respond. This has led to the increasing mobilisation of archaeological data and interpretations within the discourses of nationalism and identity politics. This debate piece introduces the Brexit hypothesis, the proposition that any archaeological discovery in Europe can—and probably will—be exploited to argue in support of, or against, Brexit. Examples demonstrate how archaeological and ancient DNA studies are appropriated for political ends, and a series of recommendations and strategies for combatting such exploitation are proposed by the author

Inverse modeling to obtain air permeabilities from multiple well field tests in unsaturated weathered till

Soil vapor extraction (SVE) to remove volatile contaminants from contaminated soil in the unsaturated zone has been successful in sand and gravel formations. In less permeable glacial till, the usefulness of SVE is unclear;A field experiment in the loam till of central Iowa (U.S.A.) was performed to determine air permeabilities in-situ at an uncontaminated site. Air permeability is a key design parameter for SVE systems and is one indicator of its feasibility. Vertical wells and tensiometers were installed in the vadose zone. The wells were installed at distances up to 100 cm from a central air extraction/injection well. The wells were screened over various vertical depths so that vertical as well as horizontal pressure variations could be observed. The water table varied between 150 and 300 cm below the ground surface (BGS). The pressure response due to various air extraction and injection rates was investigated during 1991 and 1992. In all tests, steady state was reached in seconds but due to barometric pressure changes, this would better be called a quasi steady state for a test lasting more than several minutes. Typically, with an air discharge rate of 4000 cm[superscript]3/sec (8.5 cubic feet per minute), the vacuum recorded at 100 cm was 0.5 cm of water;A two-dimensional anisotropic, heterogeneous compressible flow model coupled with an optimization routine solved the inverse problem by using the data to estimate air permeabilities. The air permeability was found to vary little for different flowrates and soil conditions so long as the water table was between 225 and 300 cm BGS. Under these conditions, the bottom no flow boundary in the modeling was placed at 200 cm BGS and the flow domain was split into four layers, each 50 cm thick. Anisotropy within a layer was not nearly as profound as the inhomogeneity between different layers. Thus, an isotropic, four layer description of the deposit was a good representation of the field site. The air permeability for each 50 cm thick layer beginning at the soil surface and working downward was 1 x 10[superscript]-5, 3 x 10[superscript]-6, 9 x 10[superscript]-7, and 4 x 10[superscript]-8 cm[superscript]2

Justice, development and the land: the social context of Scotland’s energy transition

Scotland, like many other countries, is undergoing a transition to renewable energy. This paper discusses the social context within which this transition is taking place and which is conditioning the possibilities for energy development and its effects on people. In particular, the paper explores historically-rooted conflicts relating to land rights and wild land protection, considering these issues and their relationship to energy development in terms of landscape justice (i.e. the principle of fairness in the ways people relate to the landscape and to each other through the landscape). Pursuing a more just settlement between people and landscape is often a matter of understanding problematic pasts and working to overcome their harmful legacies. It is argued that there is an important role for heritage practice in helping to deliver energy development which takes the historical, social and cultural context more fully into account and thereby helps to bring about a more just settlement between people and the landscape

The potent urban prehistory of an ancient megalith: the Kempock Stone, Gourock, Scotland

This paper focuses on the modern biography of a prehistoric stone of uncertain provenance, the megalith known as the Kempock Stone or Granny Kempock that has stood in the Clydeside town of Gourock for at least several hundred years. Rather than fous on a specific prehistoric period of creation and installation, or speculate upon its original function, this account explores the numerous stories that have accumulated around the stone over the past two centuries, revealing its composite biography. In addition, the paper also identifies the plethora of practices that have focused upon the stone over the years. In adopting an urban prehistory that concentrates upon surviving prehistoric places, sites and things that survive in urban places, we investigate how these narratives and practices significntly contribute to the rich heritage of this monolith. In contending that a better understanding of the social benefits of monoliths in urban places is long overdue, we also exemplify the contemporary value such sites play in consolidating local identities, enriching heritage and hosting a wealth of shared cultural practices