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| The pit and its slabs were excavated by archaeologists and volunteers [Credit: ADC Archaeology] |
The find was made by the Fire and Water Project, which is run by archaeology and history group Historic Assynt.
The project team had been trying to understand what a crescent shaped mound of stones had been created for.
Excavations at the mound by archaeologists and volunteers unearthed the pit and channel from beneath a layer of clay.
Archaeologists believe it may have been created for bathing, or as a sauna.
They said other possible uses for the site included cooking and feasting, or perhaps brewing.
Greek geographer
Gordon Sleight, projects leader for Historic Assynt, said: "Under a strange layer of clay, we came down to a 1.5 metre square, one metre deep pit dug into the ground with a channel to feed water in from a nearby burn, plus three slabs which may indicate it was once lined with stone.
"There were no animal bones or anything to suggest its use as a cooking site and its size would have made it well-nigh impossible to bring to boiling point.
"So warm water is more likely, which suggests it was used for bathing, or perhaps as a sauna or sweat lodge."
Assynt is peppered with ancient sites, including the ruins of a 2,000-year-old home called a broch
Historic Assynt believe Clachtoll broch was built and occupied by a sophisticated maritime culture stretching up to the Northern Isles and out to the Hebrides at a time before the Roman conquest of southern Britain.
The tower may have been seen by ancient Greek geographer Pytheas during his circumnavigation of Britain.
Source: BBC News Website [October 17, 2012]
