Monument record MHG20135 - Kerbed ritual enclosure and later cairn, Achinduich
Summary
Location
Grid reference | Centred NC 5820 0066 (10m by 10m) (Approximate) |
---|---|
Map sheet | NC50SE |
Geographical Area | SUTHERLAND |
Old County | SUTHERLAND |
Civil Parish | CREICH |
Map
Type and Period (8)
- (Former Type) KERB CAIRN (Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 551 BC)
- SUB CIRCULAR ENCLOSURE (Early Bronze Age - 2400 BC? to 1501 BC?) + Sci.Date
- BURIED SOIL HORIZON (Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 1685 BC (post)) + Sci.Date
- CAIRN (Early Bronze Age to Late Bronze Age - 2000 BC? to 551 BC?)
- PIT (Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 1501 BC)
- STRUCTURE (Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 2500 BC to 1685 BC) + Sci.Date
- CIST? (Early Bronze Age - 2000 BC? to 1501 BC?) + Sci.Date
- CREMATION (Early Bronze Age - 2185 BC to 1900 BC)
Full Description
Prehistoric kerbed burial mound, NC 581 006. In 1988, survey first identified this site as large indeterminate mound. In 1989, two small assemblages of burnt bone were recovered from an abandoned quarry section, which had cut into mound. A massive boulder within quarry suggested continuation of a kerb of large stones which was visible on E side. If correct it seems that c15% of mound had been removed by the quarry.
Excavation revealed an almost soil-free cairn, retained by a slightly eliptical kerb of upright boulders, 9m along the Sw-NW axis and an estimated c8m along the SE-NW axis. The kerb stones were slightly graded in size with those on N side being smaller, these northern stones had also been displaced.
The cairn consisted of angular rocks typical of numerous field clearance cairns in vicinity. The composition of cairn suggested that it had been very much disturbed. On S side, at base, a lidless and damaged cist was recovered, from N side a fragment of Beaker pottery was found.
In surface of soil beneath cairn, a tanged and barbed arrowhead (close to findspot of the Beaker sherd) and four discrete collections of burnt bone were discovered. A total of thirteen small pits were cut through this surface. The largest pit contained a crushed, but virtually complete pot; from an examination of its uncleaned form it is probably best defined as a Food Vessel. It contained nine small pierced shale discs.
The soil beneath cairn had been enriched with abundant charcoal, flint waste flakes and small sherds of pottery. It is thought possible that cairn overlay a domestic or midden context.
It seems likely this burial monument is broadly contemporary with main site type in area; large hut circles of sort excavated at Allt na Fearna quarry (NC50SE 46). Good examples of such sites are present some 50m to N of cairn.
R McCullagh 1991. <1>
Roderick McCullagh advises that the location quoted in the above DES entry is incorrect. It is now believed that this site is almost certainly a kerb cairn, but was probably a small arena for activities that involved the scattering of cremated human bone and the burial of various artefacts, including a Food Vessel. The sequence of deposits strongly suggests that the kerb of large boulders was already in place prior to the accumulation of the internal deposits. In effect the kerb described an area within which the activities took place. The cairn can be seen as being built to formally and symbolically finalise the ritual procedures. <2><3>
Sources/Archives (3)
- <1> SHG96 Text/Publication/Article: McCullagh, R. 1991. 'Achinduich (Creich parish): prehistoric kerbed burial mound', Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 1991, p.46. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland. 46. 46.
- <2> SHG23797 Text/Publication/Monograph: McCullagh, R P J and Tipping, R (eds). 1998. The Lairg Project 1988-1996: The Evolution of an Archaeological Landscape in Northern Scotland. Scottish Trust for Archaeological Research monographs. Paper (Original). 84-91, 118-121, 130-9, 139-144.
- <3> SHG24578 Text/Correspondence: Historic Scotland. 01/2010. Email correspondence between Rod McCullagh (Historic Scotland) and Sylvina Tilbury (HCAU). Digital.
Finds (4)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (0)
Record last edited
Jan 12 2010 11:10AM