The artifacts found at the future Old Petty Championship Golf Course near Inverness, Scotland, span thousands of years of history.
Avon Archaeology HighlandArchaeologists from Avon Archaeology Highland at the site of the future Old Petty Championship Golf Course.
A trove of archaeological artifacts was discovered at the site of a new golf course in the Scottish Highlands, including the remains of an Iron Age chariot and a 3,500-year-old Bronze Age cremation urn.
The Old Petty Championship Golf Course is currently under development near Inverness, but archaeologists have now learned that the site is rich with history. In addition to the chariot wheel and urn, they also found flint tools and evidence of at least 25 Neolithic wooden buildings, offering a glimpse into the lives of some of Scotland’s earliest inhabitants.
Excavations were carried out by members of Avon Archaeology Highland (AAH), and experts have plans to radiocarbon date the artifacts later this year.
Ancient Artifacts Unearthed At The Site Of A Scottish Golf Course
Avon Archaeology HighlandThe wheel of an Iron Age chariot was found in a cremation pit at the site — a first for the Highlands.
Archaeologists working at the site of the future golf course near Inverness discovered a wealth of ancient relics spanning thousands of years of Scottish history. Some of the oldest discoveries dated as far back as 6,000 years ago, including flint tools and wooden structures. Others were as recent as the Middle Ages, roughly 600 years ago.
“Always happy to see new archaeology emerge from the ground but some of the discoveries we have made, particularly relating to early Neolithic settlement and later prehistoric ceremonial/funerary activity, are properly exceptional,” Andy Young, the principal archaeologist at AAH, told The Independent.
Avon Archaeology HighlandA Bronze Age cremation urn found at the site.
The most remarkable discovery, however, was the chariot wheel.
A Rare Chariot Wheel Dating Back To The Iron Age
Avon Archaeology HighlandThe ancient cremation pit in which the chariot wheel was found.
When Young was asked which find he felt was the most important, he replied, “Depends somewhat on your particular heritage interests, but I guess the discovery of the ceremonial/funerary prehistoric palisade circle, inside of which was a cremation pit containing the remains of a chariot wheel — not all the chariots were in East Yorkshire, it seems.”
The wheel had most likely been placed in the pit as part of a ritual ceremony, and while similar discoveries have been made in England, this was uncommon for the Scottish Highlands. In fact, Young told the BBC that this is believed to be the first piece of a chariot found in the Highlands, and only one of about five for the entirety of Scotland.
Avon Archaeology HighlandMedieval ditches and field systems were also uncovered at the site.
Archaeologists took measures to preserve the ancient artifacts, including fully reburying the ceremonial circle in which the wheel was found.
“This has been a remarkable journey from pre-historic times to the present, right here on our doorstep,” said Stuart McColm, the vice president of the golf development. “It’s humbling to think that our new championship course, Old Petty, will rest on such historically rich ground.”
McColm continued, “We’re proud to preserve this heritage while creating a world-class golf experience.”
After reading about the chariot wheel and other ancient artifacts discovered in the Scottish Highlands, learn all about the Picts, the ancient Scottish people who fought off the Romans. Then, discover the history of the mysterious ancient relic known as the Stone of Scone.
