Black Spout Archaeology Project

From 2005-9 the Trust ran a community archaeology project from to explore a large Iron Age building in the Black Spout wood, near Pitlochry. Each summer Trust staff, volunteers and archaeology students carefully uncovered the site, which is perched on a cliff above Edradour Burn.

While the sites have been studied since they were recognised by the antiquarian Pennant in the late 18th century, only a few examples had been properly excavated before the dig took place. The results confirmed that the building dated from around 250 BC to 50 AD, and revealed massive stone wall construction incorporating a scarcement ledge and intra-mural cell, both features of broch architecture. (A broch is a drystone hollow-walled structure). The full account of the excavations, and the story of this impressive stone and timber squat tower, built in a strategic location not for defence, but for display, is told in a monograph which discusses its context within Scottish Iron Age architecture.