As I got ahead of myself yesterday, here's the Achavanich Stone Setting in Caithness again for #StandingStoneSunday
For #StandingStoneSaturday I offer the Achkinloch/Achavanich Stone Setting in Caithness. This horseshoe shaped monument is unusual in that the stones stand perpendicular to the ring, with their narrow ends pointing toward the centre. 📷 My own
canmore.org.uk/site/8271/ac...
canmore.org.uk/site/8271/ac...
December 15, 2024 at 6:44 AM
As I got ahead of myself yesterday, here's the Achavanich Stone Setting in Caithness again for #StandingStoneSunday
Great to see Maya Hoole's archaeological research at Achavanich in Caitness and Hew Morrison's art inspiring this song by the Dandelion Clocks.
January 3, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Great to see Maya Hoole's archaeological research at Achavanich in Caitness and Hew Morrison's art inspiring this song by the Dandelion Clocks.
#standingstoneSunday Achavanich stone "circle", actually a U-shape, near Thurso.
September 15, 2024 at 8:46 PM
#standingstoneSunday Achavanich stone "circle", actually a U-shape, near Thurso.
For #StandingStoneSaturday I offer the Achkinloch/Achavanich Stone Setting in Caithness. This horseshoe shaped monument is unusual in that the stones stand perpendicular to the ring, with their narrow ends pointing toward the centre. 📷 My own
canmore.org.uk/site/8271/ac...
canmore.org.uk/site/8271/ac...
December 14, 2024 at 9:04 AM
For #StandingStoneSaturday I offer the Achkinloch/Achavanich Stone Setting in Caithness. This horseshoe shaped monument is unusual in that the stones stand perpendicular to the ring, with their narrow ends pointing toward the centre. 📷 My own
canmore.org.uk/site/8271/ac...
canmore.org.uk/site/8271/ac...
Who was the mysterious young woman? What was in the pot? Suggestions of porridge or gruel were made. I reckon it may have been the remains of a Bronze Age Ale. All the details here as well as the wonderful reports and art work from local Primary School children. 🏺
her.highland.gov.uk/Monument/MHG...
her.highland.gov.uk/Monument/MHG...
MHG44025 - Human remains, Bronze Age Beaker Burial - Craig-na-Feich, Achavanich - Highland Historic Environment Record
her.highland.gov.uk
January 18, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Who was the mysterious young woman? What was in the pot? Suggestions of porridge or gruel were made. I reckon it may have been the remains of a Bronze Age Ale. All the details here as well as the wonderful reports and art work from local Primary School children. 🏺
her.highland.gov.uk/Monument/MHG...
her.highland.gov.uk/Monument/MHG...
It's a wonderfully evocative series of rather sandy walls! (If you had to miss it out, hope that was for something special. Maybe Achavanich? Or maybe not ...)
November 16, 2025 at 10:28 PM
It's a wonderfully evocative series of rather sandy walls! (If you had to miss it out, hope that was for something special. Maybe Achavanich? Or maybe not ...)
11:45am TODAY on @BBCRadio4
The North Road by Rob Cowen
Ep 5 of 5, Achavanich
The award-winning writer's journey along the Great North Road concludes with an archaeological and a familial discovery.
Joseph Ayre reads.
@robcowen.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
The North Road by Rob Cowen
Ep 5 of 5, Achavanich
The award-winning writer's journey along the Great North Road concludes with an archaeological and a familial discovery.
Joseph Ayre reads.
@robcowen.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - The North Road by Rob Cowen, Episode 5 - Achavanich
The journey along the Great North Road concludes with an archaeological discovery.
www.bbc.co.uk
May 16, 2025 at 10:32 AM
11:45am TODAY on @BBCRadio4
The North Road by Rob Cowen
Ep 5 of 5, Achavanich
The award-winning writer's journey along the Great North Road concludes with an archaeological and a familial discovery.
Joseph Ayre reads.
@robcowen.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
The North Road by Rob Cowen
Ep 5 of 5, Achavanich
The award-winning writer's journey along the Great North Road concludes with an archaeological and a familial discovery.
Joseph Ayre reads.
@robcowen.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Thanks for the reminder. I'll have a look and give feedback to them. Just been searching for information on the Achavanich Beaker (it contained interesting cereal based residues) and the new information on Trove is sparse, incomplete and somewhat misleading.
May 14, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Thanks for the reminder. I'll have a look and give feedback to them. Just been searching for information on the Achavanich Beaker (it contained interesting cereal based residues) and the new information on Trove is sparse, incomplete and somewhat misleading.
Kilmartin is a truly wonderful place, which is pretty much why I chose that one, although I was tempted by Achavanich, and Amesbury which is probably the most local one to me.
April 10, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Kilmartin is a truly wonderful place, which is pretty much why I chose that one, although I was tempted by Achavanich, and Amesbury which is probably the most local one to me.
I also like Bronze Age pots especially the ones with residues.
Achavanich. Ashgrove. North Mains aka Strathallan. Food vessels and beaker pots. What's the difference? Anyway, this is a good potter to buy replicas from.
Achavanich. Ashgrove. North Mains aka Strathallan. Food vessels and beaker pots. What's the difference? Anyway, this is a good potter to buy replicas from.
Of all the pots that @PotsOfHistory
and I replicate, those from the Bronze Age rank very highly among my favourites, many of which you will find here on our website. potted-history.co.uk/search?q=bro...
and I replicate, those from the Bronze Age rank very highly among my favourites, many of which you will find here on our website. potted-history.co.uk/search?q=bro...
November 3, 2024 at 9:47 AM
I also like Bronze Age pots especially the ones with residues.
Achavanich. Ashgrove. North Mains aka Strathallan. Food vessels and beaker pots. What's the difference? Anyway, this is a good potter to buy replicas from.
Achavanich. Ashgrove. North Mains aka Strathallan. Food vessels and beaker pots. What's the difference? Anyway, this is a good potter to buy replicas from.
Ah well, if you're going down the magic-medical drinks road there's plenty to see there. Some medicinal herbs are alkaloids, that is, they only work when mixed with alcohol. Ale, wine, mead are all for this purpose. That Bronze Age Achavanich beaker (or is it a food vessel?) is a fine example.
May 9, 2026 at 10:37 AM
Ah well, if you're going down the magic-medical drinks road there's plenty to see there. Some medicinal herbs are alkaloids, that is, they only work when mixed with alcohol. Ale, wine, mead are all for this purpose. That Bronze Age Achavanich beaker (or is it a food vessel?) is a fine example.
It is. I got the Ashgrove beaker and the Achavanich and a grooved ware pot. They all had interesting residues.
April 10, 2025 at 8:18 PM
It is. I got the Ashgrove beaker and the Achavanich and a grooved ware pot. They all had interesting residues.
I'm loving the stories of the medieval women brewers especially. Those alewives. Having been mostly studying prehistoric brewers myself, I reckon, more and more, they were also women. Maybe not easy to prove. I'm thinking of the Achavanich Beaker and North Mains Food Vessel, both in female graves.
January 15, 2025 at 1:08 PM
I'm loving the stories of the medieval women brewers especially. Those alewives. Having been mostly studying prehistoric brewers myself, I reckon, more and more, they were also women. Maybe not easy to prove. I'm thinking of the Achavanich Beaker and North Mains Food Vessel, both in female graves.
Having coffee at Ava's place https://archaeology.co.uk/articles/features/investigating-ava.htm 😍 #ava #achavanich #beakerburial #bronzeage #cairn #cist
November 16, 2024 at 7:18 PM
Having coffee at Ava's place https://archaeology.co.uk/articles/features/investigating-ava.htm 😍 #ava #achavanich #beakerburial #bronzeage #cairn #cist
I have a copy of the job offer letter my grandmother got in 1937 as a new teacher which basically said “Your employment will end when you get married.”
August 16, 2025 at 1:43 AM
I have a copy of the job offer letter my grandmother got in 1937 as a new teacher which basically said “Your employment will end when you get married.”
Will listen to this. I've got a few pots (neolithic, bronze age) from @pottedhistory.bsky.social. Amazing to see them in real life, to hold them and imagine the real thing. Two beakers: Achavanich, Ashgrove and a Grooved Ware Bucket (P63) from Balfarg. What were they for, how were they used? #pots
September 14, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Will listen to this. I've got a few pots (neolithic, bronze age) from @pottedhistory.bsky.social. Amazing to see them in real life, to hold them and imagine the real thing. Two beakers: Achavanich, Ashgrove and a Grooved Ware Bucket (P63) from Balfarg. What were they for, how were they used? #pots
There's no new evidence, no new discovery. Just a big change in the description of the contents. I don't know when or how the malt got lost and a berry based beer replaced the malt based beer. Similar thing happened with the Achavanich Beaker/Food Vessel where the cereal component has been lost.
August 23, 2026 at 8:38 AM
There's no new evidence, no new discovery. Just a big change in the description of the contents. I don't know when or how the malt got lost and a berry based beer replaced the malt based beer. Similar thing happened with the Achavanich Beaker/Food Vessel where the cereal component has been lost.
The story seems to be about big Beaker pots being used for meat stew, so are individual Beakers for eating this stew? I don't agree, looks more like a beer brewing and drinking assemblage. Residues in Bronze Age Beakers are rare, however, they indicate ale not stew eg North Mains, Achavanich etc.
March 18, 2026 at 3:00 PM
The story seems to be about big Beaker pots being used for meat stew, so are individual Beakers for eating this stew? I don't agree, looks more like a beer brewing and drinking assemblage. Residues in Bronze Age Beakers are rare, however, they indicate ale not stew eg North Mains, Achavanich etc.
Unrelated to this, but I’m grateful for your podcast. Super fascinating, AND I ended up getting to go and visit the Achavanich site up in Caithness back in September, among a few other cool sites like an Iron Age Wag and such. Thank you for your content!
November 22, 2024 at 1:23 PM
Unrelated to this, but I’m grateful for your podcast. Super fascinating, AND I ended up getting to go and visit the Achavanich site up in Caithness back in September, among a few other cool sites like an Iron Age Wag and such. Thank you for your content!