Monument record MHG14367 - Cist burial, Balnabruach

A chance find of human remains was made on 24th June 1993 during excavations by the Highland Regional Council Department of Water and Sewerage, to insert underground pipes at Balnabruaich, Portmahomack. A human skull and other bones had been disturbed by the machine during excavation of the trench. The remains appeared to be those of a single adult which appeared to have been interred within the fragmentary remains of a stone cist or short coffin. Damage to the remains were considerable. It was suggested that the burial probably dated to the Bronze Age, although the lack of accompanying grave goods made this uncertain. <1> <2> <3> <4> <5>

The finds were reported in the Press and Journal of June 25th 1993. <6>

The bones were subsequently analysed by DH Lorimer. The remains probably belonged to a young adult male in his late teens or early twenties. <7>

A watching brief was subsequently maintained intermittently by Highland Regional Council and further discoveries were made (see MHG14365 & MHG14366).