Originally titled “SERF (Strathearn Environs and Royal Forteviot Project)”, “Ritual and Remembrance at a prehistoric ceremonial complex in central Scotland; excavations at Forteviot 2007-10” a short lecture by Dr Gordon Noble, Aberdeen University, was presented at the Archaeological Research in Progress (ARP 2011) national day conference on Saturday 28th May 2011 at the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

2010 was the fourth year of fieldwork at Forteviot carried out as part of the Strathearn Environs and Royal Forteviot project. Work progressed this year on both the prehistoric and Early Historic elements of this important centre of the third millennium BC and first millennium AD. Further elements of the vast prehistoric ceremonial complex were revealed with the excavation of a henge monument and a timber/stone enclosure both located outside of the huge timber palisaded enclosure that defines the prehistoric complex. The henge monument proved to be a complex late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age monument with timber structure and earthwork enclosure and the other enclosure was a very unusual double palisade with toppled standing stone at one entrance and a triple cist at the centre. Both monuments were the focus of the deliberate deposition of Beaker pottery. Both monuments also saw later re-use in particular at the henge with the closing off of the entrance, perhaps associated with the deposition of a later prehistoric spearhead, and the digging of an enormous pit in the centre of the henge. Further elements of the late Neolithic palisaded enclosure were also excavated again underlining the enormous effort that went into constructing a monument defined by the erection of over 100 massive tree trunks. Elsewhere in the landscape further elements of the Pictish cemetery were uncovered including two conjoined square barrows and an enclosure ditch that may define parts of the overall Early Historic landscape was also excavated.