Monument record MHG52994 - Cist burial - Slacknamarnock, Inverness

A short cist was identified during a monitored topsoil strip by Headland Archaeology at Slacknamarnock Quarry in August 2008. The cist, located on a small knoll at the southern edge of the stripped area, was capped by an arrangement of eight flat angular sandstone slabs laid in two distinct layers. The sides of the cist were formed by six slabs set on edge to form a sub-rectangular structure measuring 0.78m by 0.64m internally. The cist contained a single inhumation that had been placed in a crouched position on the right side with head placed close to the southeast corner. The hands and knees had been drawn tightly towards the head. Only part of the skeleton was preserved, this was dictated by its location within the cist and how well it was sheltered by the capstones. It included part of the skull, vertebrae, part of both femurs and the lower arms. The results of the osteological assessment suggest that the individual may have been female and was probably older than 45 years. The bones were well preserved suggesting that the rest of the skeleton had been dissolved by water infiltrating the cist rather than simply decaying over time. There was no formal floor and the body had been placed on the natural sandy gravel till at the base of the cist. No artefacts were present within the cist. <1> <2> <3>

The full details of the site are to be included in the published report for wider excavations by Headland Archaeology at Culduthel. <4>