Monument record MHG10011 - Cist & BA finds, Cairn, Balblair

Summary

No summary available.

Location

Grid reference Centred NH 6006 9384 (14m by 14m) (Buffered by site type)
Map sheet NH69SW
Geographical Area SUTHERLAND
Old County SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish CREICH

Map

Type and Period (2)

Full Description

NH69SW 26 6007 9384.
Cairn (NR) Short Cist containing an Urn and Pictish Razor found A.D. 1853 (NAT) OS 6" map, Sutherland, 2nd ed., (1907)

On the farm of Meikle, about 200 yards NNW of the farm buildings, are the remains of a large cairn. It appears to have measured some 70ft in diameter, but about a third of it on the E side has been removed. The remainder is from 10ft to 12ft high. There are no signs of a cist or chamber. A short cist containing a cinerary urn and a Middle Bronze Age (Coles 1966) bronze razor was found in the cairn in 1853. The razor was in Dunrobin Museum in 1874.
J A Smith 1870; 1875; RCAHMS 1911; J M Coles 1966.

A much mutilated cairn, generally as described above.
Revised at 1/12500. Visited by OS (R D L) 4 June 1963.

The cairn, which is about 24.5m diameter, is as described above. It stands on ground sloping to SE, and the material rises up to 2m above ground level. Small stones from recent field clearance have been dumped in places.
Survey revised at 1:10,000. Visited by OS (J B) 1 9 1980.

The only bronze razor in Dunrobin Museum is that described by Smith (1875) (Acc No: X 48), but according to accessions register, it was found before 1834 in a cist with cremation in a cairn between Strathbrora and Strathfleet, Rogart, some 20 kms to NE.
Visited by OS (N K B) 20 October 1980.

Sources/Archives (9)

  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Anderson, J. 1911. 'Notice of a hoard of bronze implements recently found in Lewis', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 45 1910-11, p.27-46. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 27-46. 41.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Smith, J A. 1870. 'Notice of a small bronze blade found in a cinerary urn at Balblair, Sutherlandshire; also two small bronze plates, in the collection of His Grace the Duke of Sutherland', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 7 1866-8, p.475-7. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 475-7. 475-6.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Smith, J A. 1875. 'Notice of a small bronze blade found in a sepulchral tumulus or cairn at Rogart, Sutherland, and of similar bronze implements found in different parts of Scotland', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 10 1872-4, p.431-47. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 431-47. 432; illust.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Coles, J M. 1966. 'Scottish Middle Bronze Age metalwork', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 97 1963-4, p.82-156. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 82-156. 149.
  • --- Text/Publication/Article: Piggott, C M. 1946. 'The Late Bronze Age razors of the British Isles', Proc Prehist Soc Vol. 12 1946, p.121-41. Proc Prehist Soc. 121-41. 135, no. 9.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: Anderson, J. 1886. Scotland in pagan times: the bronze and stone ages: the Rhind lectures in archaeology for 1882. 24.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: Jockenhovel, A. 1980. Die Rasiermesser in Westeuropa. 41, no. 90.
  • --- Text/Publication/Volume: Munro, R. 1899. Prehistoric Scotland and its place in European civilisation. 190.
  • --- Text/Report: RCAHMS. 1911. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions of Scotland. Second report and inventory of monuments and constructions in the county of Sutherland. . 32-3, No. 89.

Finds (2)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Record last edited

May 13 2016 12:00AM

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