Construction work on the Old Petty Championship Golf Course at Cabot Highlands near Inverness uncovered at least 25 Neolithic wooden buildings, flint tools, a prehistoric post circle and other artifacts, BBC News reported.
Avon Archaeology Highland examined the 500,000‑square‑metre site and recorded grain‑drying kilns, stone hand mills, quern stones and medieval field systems, showing continuous farming activity from about 3600 BCE through the 18th century.
The team recovered an iron chariot wheel from a cremation pit inside the post circle; it was “exceptional,” said principal archaeologist Andy Young, according to BBC News. Radiocarbon sampling is in progress, and all objects will go to the Treasure Trove of Scotland before likely transfer to museums in Inverness or Edinburgh.
“The partnership… has been exemplary. Their dedication to preserving the past while shaping the future is a model of responsible development,” noted Young.
“It is a unique journey from prehistoric times to the present, right at our feet. We feel greatly honored that our new championship course, Old Petty, will be located on such historically rich ground. We are proud to preserve our heritage while creating a world‑class golf experience,” said Stuart McColm, vice president of Cabot Golf Course Development, according to HeritageDaily.
The ceremonial post circle was reburied in situ and mapped; the redesigned fairways avoid areas with buried material so they can remain intact. Additional finds included a 3,500‑year‑old Bronze Age cremation urn and a wooden enclosure estimated at 2,000–3,000 years old.
A 2008 excavation at Birnie, about 40 miles away, uncovered a horse‑harness fitting from the Iron Age, providing wider context for the newly discovered wheel at Old Petty.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.