More than 100 budding archaeologists made their way to the excavation site of an Iron Age fort dating back over 3000 years to explore what secrets have been uncovered.
And the successful open day has convinced GUARD Archaeology, who are leading the dig located just south of Luncarty on the A9, to host another one on Saturday, May 21.
One of the most extensive hillfort excavations ever carried out in Scotland, Broxy Kennels Fort is being stripped back to reveal its archaeological secrets before construction of the £118 million Cross Tay Link Road (CTLR) commences.
The ancient site will sadly disappear due to the major road project’s construction, with archaeologists working to retrieve as much information as possible from the area before it goes.
Burnt cereal grains found in an underground storage chamber – or souterrain – are believed to date from the late Bronze Age to early Iron Age, with pottery sherds coming from the same period.
GUARD Archaeology were contracted to excavate the site along with a number of archaeology students from the University of Highlands and Islands.
GUARD’s operations director Warren Bailie said: “It was great to see so many people taking a real interest in what we are doing here.
“We‘ve made some significant discoveries on site that will help us paint a picture of how people here lived day-to-day, telling us what food they were cultivating and storing here, what fuel and timber they used from the local woodlands, and what type of animals they may have kept.
“It was great to be able to talk to local people about the findings so far.”
The CTLR project involves the construction of a new three-span bridge over the River Tay and six kilometres of new road linking the A9 and the A93 to Blairgowrie and the A94 north of Scone.
It also includes the realignment of two kilometres of dual carriageway on the A9 just north of Inveralmond Roundabout.
The new road aims to “significantly reduce traffic congestion and related pollution” in Perth city centre.
The bridge location was chosen to avoid some other known archaeology sites nearby, including the Gold Castle prehistoric settlement to the east of the river in Strathtay to the Grassy Walls Roman Camp near Old Scone.
Speaking of her visit to Broxy Kennels Fort, Alison Price, an artist from Perth, said: “I had no idea this was even here, it’s been really interesting.
“It covered a massive area and seeing how they’ve uncovered actual stone-built structures that were built so long ago is just incredible.”
Details on how to attend the second open day on May 21 will be released by GUARD in the coming days.
