posted on 2012-04-13, 12:32authored byAngela Monckton, Lisa Moffett
During the excavations at Potlock cursus monument, samples were taken for the recovery of charcoal and charred plant macrofossils. Five samples were taken from successive sections of a charred deposit in the southern cursus ditch (SCD) and two samples from the north cursus ditch (NCD), all dated to the Late Neolithic period by pottery. A pit of Early Bronze Age date was also sampled, the north east half in spits and the south west half stratographically. The samples were taken after assessment of the site during which small numbers of plant remains were found and the problems of recovery highlighted (Moffett 1995). Charred material from the site was found to be impregnated with heavy minerals which inhibited recovery by flotation it was therefore decided to carry out a second flotation of the sample residues to attempt to recover more material. [Taken from introduction]