Team behind Ava reconstruction nominated for archaeological award
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UNRAVELLING the mysteries of one of the county's oldest inhabitants from 4250 years ago has led to an archaeological award nomination for the team behind the research.
The prehistoric woman, given the name Ava, was discovered when the site at Achavanich on the Causewaymire was unearthed in 1987.
Edinburgh-based Maya Hoole launched the Achavanich Beaker Burial Project in 2014 in a bid to find out why Ava was buried at the site along with a beaker made of flint.
She said: "I was humbled to find out this research has been nominated as one of six projects for Current Archaeology magazine’s Research Project of the Year.
"It’s a great honour to have been selected from the hundreds of potential projects out there."
In 2016 Ms Hoole put out an appeal to try and track down local people who were present when the site at Achavanich was unearthed during quarrying work on the A9.
The early Bronze Age find attracted a lot of interest in the archaeological world as Ava was buried in a pit made of solid rock of which only a few exist in the UK.
All that remained of Ava was her skull and it was thought that she would have been aged about 20 when she met her end in her native Caithness.
A reconstruction was made of the prehistoric woman's face based on DNA analysis carried out a couple of years ago showing her to have dark hair and brown eyes.
It was thought that Ava was connected to the first wave of immigrants to the area who brought many new skills.
Ms Hoole first became interested in the discovery when she was working with the local authority’s historic environment team in Inverness.
Laboratory tests aged Ava between 18 and 22, with the circumstances of her burial meaning she was considered to have been important.
Speaking at the time, Ms Hoole said: “She must have been someone significant in society but for what reason I don’t know.
“But people have gone to an awful lot of effort to create this burial, especially as they have cut through solid rock to create her resting place.”
When Ava’s head was found, archaeologists also discovered a decorated beaker made of flint beside her along with spine bone from an ox.
Ms Hoole said: “Flint is a rare resource in Scotland as it does not form naturally here and the only place it would have been found would be on beaches, and she has been buried with three pieces of flint.”
Her short, round skull and the manner of her burial would indicate she was within a tribe known as the Beaker People.
The research project has been published in Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.
In 2018 Ms Hoole was awarded the RBK Stevenson Award by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland her work relating to the discovery and identification of Ava.
Ava’s skull and the other remains were put on view in Caithness Horizons centre in Thurso and staff there helped Ms Hoole with her project.
More information on how to vote for this latest award can be found on the Achavanich Beaker Burial Project Facebook site.
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