Dighty Valley - Archaeology Data Service

Kiells
NR/684416. It is reported that while a pipe-line was being
laid near Kiells in July, 1963, the mechanical excavator disturbed
at least two stone-lined cists. No finds were reported.
TIREE From Euan W. MacKie
Dun Mor Vaul
NM/04204925. A second season of 5^ weeks of excavation
was carried out on the Vaul broch in August and September under
the auspices of the Hunterian Museum, with the aid of a generous
grant from Glasgow University and with the assistance of a large
number of volunteers. A large quantity of finds was recovered.
Work this year was concentrated on the broch interior, on
the mural gallery and on the outer court and rampart on the seaward
side. A major achievement was the isolation of a brochbuilders'
level in the deepest sections of the mural gallery. These
layers contained many useful finds. The stratification in the gallery
suggested that the broch had been pulled down at one stage.
The interior was cleared to below floor level and a large,
rectangular, kerbed and paved hearth was found with three whalevertebra
post-sockets next to it. An extensive ash spread over the
interior was associated with-the hearth. A massive lintelled drain
underlies the hearth but another short season of work will be
necessary finally to disentangle the relationships of these structures.
The hearth is undoubtedly secondary: the pottery associated with
its ash is quite distinct from that in the basal levels of the mural
gallery.
A careful search revealed no trace of the radial piers of a
wheelhouse in -the interior so the function of the secondary wall
there remains obscure. It post-dated the ash spread and little
occupation debris was clearly associated with it.
Extensive deposits of earth, full of Iron Age debris, had
accumulated in the outer court, but no clear stone structures were
found..The outer rampart was sectioned and found to overlie an
older midden. Stone debris seems to have been piled on this rampart
at a late stage in the occupation of the site.
An article on the excavation will appear in The Illustrated
London News during 1964. A picture of the composite bone comb
found appeared in the Glasgow Herald of 30/8/63 and of the mural
stair in that of 20/9/63, p. 10.
Dun Beg Vaul
NM/046492. This is a roughly oval fort, a i mile from Dun
Mor, whose outline is dictated by the shape of the rock knoll on
which it stands. No structural features apart from low wallfaces
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