Expanding current understanding of the function, style and chronology of Grooved Ware from the A9 Dualling

Abstract

In 2018 on behalf of Transport Scotland AOC Archaeology Group undertook archaeological investigations in advance of the construction of the 9.5km A9 Dualling: Luncarty to Pass of Birnam. Six archaeological sites were excavated, revealing evidence of activity spanning the Early Neolithic to the early medieval period. Neolithic activity was confined to four sites, consisting of a palimpsest of pits, post holes and vestigial structures, some of which were associated with assemblages of handmade ceramics, struck lithics and a small but revealing ecofact record. This paper focuses on the ceramic assemblages and, in particular, the comprehensive group of Late Neolithic Grooved Ware vessel sherds. It considers the form and function of the vessels, investigating aspects of decorative style alongside lipid analysis of surviving organic residues on the surfaces of the sherds and a suite of radiocarbon dates with a view to expanding our current understanding of the function, style and chronology of the later phases of Grooved Ware in the region and eastern mainland Scotland more broadly.