A visit to Barmekin Hill Fort

Over the years, I fear I've been remiss in not introducing you to some of the many interesting archaeological sites in NE Scotland. 

In particular our area abounds in remains of Bronze and Iron Age hill forts.

 
So it's time to rectify my negligence and today I'm showing you Barmekin Hill Fort, where Gail took me for a walk last Saturday.

OK, so when I say 'interesting' sites, I have to admit it's a case of beauty being in the eye of the beholder, and if your eye level is only about 40 cm above your paw level, these ancient monuments could so easily be mistaken for some random pile of stones.

To give you a better idea of the layout of this particular hilltop site, I've stolen an aerial photograph from the Aberdeenshire Historical Environment records.

A more modern concrete structure, a trig point (triangulation station) is located near the centre of the concentric ramparts.

Shortly after I had done my 'pose nicely Bertie' act beside the trig point, another small party arrived on the hill and I was upstaged by Enzo the Whippet (with the help of his human companions).

One sensed that Enzo was a somewhat reluctant participant in this performance. 

He didn't stay up there long. 

Wet Sunday and an archaeological excavation ...

What happens in your household on a Sunday when it is so miserable and wet that you only get a short walk to the park and the paper shop?

When the weather is so horrid not even Gail wants to venture out on her new(ish) bicycle?

Well, in my dreams, Gail might just spend the day giving me belly rubs and feeding me treats. But of course the reality was otherwise.

She decided to have a tidy up, and this included her overfilled sewing box.

Gosh. Digging into this prehistoric and rarely opened item was like conducting an archaeological excavation into Gail's family history. See what was found:

Exhibit #1: The darning mushroom.

Chewed end, what chewed end? Hamish's work, surely?

Exhibit #2: The button tin

Not sure if this originally belonged to Human Grandad or Human Great Grandad (we think the latter).

Exhibit #3: The press-stud tin

This one definitely came from Gail's Granny, whose family owned a liquorice factory in Pontefract, Yorkshire. And yes, they did make 'Pomfret Cakes' too.

Exhibit #4: The needle case

Gail's first ever attempt at needlework, a school project from when she was five or six years old.  A shame the sewing skills did not progress much thereafter. It turned out she was more interested in science…

Exhibit #5: Duffel coat toggle

From one of the many duffel coats Gail owned between 1975 and 1990.

Exhibit #6: Tartan ribbons

You know where this is heading...

Hope your Sunday was more exciting!