Roman Cooking Pit at Lesmahagow?
During the course of evaluation trenching in advance of a proposed mixed-use development at Birkill, Lesmahagow, staff from Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division identified a linear, hand-dug, feature with rounded terminals. The feature was orientated north/south along the contour of a gentle slope which fell away to the west. No accompanying features were identified, despite a large area being opened at the south-west end of the evaluation trench. The feature had been lined with rough sandstone cobbles and rocks, and a sooty black deposit containing some charcoal fragments covered the stones and filled gaps between them. Stones lining the feature showed signs of scorching and heating, and this was also seen in the natural subsoil, which was reddened behind the stones. Loose stone rubble was removed from the interior of the feature above the lining. This feature was fully excavated in an attempt to retrieve dating evidence, but no artefacts were recovered from it.
Linear pit under excavation. Image reproduced from GUARD Data Structure Report, copyright GUARD
It is likely that the feature encountered within the evaluation trench is a pit, dug and lined with stones to contain a fire. The exact purpose and date of the feature was unclear at the time of excavation, as no finds were recovered, and because the feature was unusual in terms of its size and shape. Subsequent extended topsoil stripping of the surrounding area failed to locate any associated material, thus the feature appears to sit in isolation. One possible explanation is that the pit has been used to roast meat by laying the meat within the stone trough and covering it with further hot stones, thereby creating an oven. The lack of stake or postholes around the feature would seem to discount the possibility that any structure had been erected around or near the pit, although it is possible that the upper part of the feature and shallower surrounding features have been truncated by ploughing.
As no artefacts were identified during the course of the excavation to provide a date for the feature, on the advice of WoSAS charcoal from the pit was submitted for radiocarbon dating. This produced a date-range centred around the late 1st century AD, raising the possibility of a Roman military association with the pit, a possibility that may be enhanced by its position in the landscape, which provides good visibility in all directions.