Monument record MHG54306 - Stone cist with food vessel, Ness Gap, Fortrose

A pentagonal stone lined pit was discovered during archaeological trial trenching in October 2010. Upon investigation the feature was found to contain an early Bronze Age food vessel in an inverted position. The pit is therefore interpreted as an early Bronze Age short cist.
Five large water-worn stones formed the main cist structure with smaller cobbles of varying sizes being placed on and around the top giving it a more circular appearance in plan. There was no capstone. The cist measured 0.5m by 0.7m, orientated roughly east-west. The base of the pit was made up of small water-worn cobbles placed in a non-uniform arrangement. <1>

The fill was 100% sampled and produced a very small quantity of burnt bone from the outer fill [031] and a small quantity of charcoal fragments from the main fill [032] is suggestive of in-situ burning. The bone fragments were both very small, less than 0.2m in length, and may have been transported from elsewhere on the site by mechanisms such as windblow or surface run-off. <2>

The vessel is a small tripartite food vessel bowl of Yorkshire type, decorated all over with twisted cord in various patterns including herringbone on the upper half and semi-circles on the lower half. It dates to the early Bronze Age, between c.2150-1750 BC.
Food vessels have been associated with both inhumations and cremations. The size of the cist at Fortrose is ambiguous in respect of which method may have been used, although the small size of the cist and the food vessel may be suggestive of a child burial. <3>

<1> Marshall, N C et al, 02/2011, Ness Gap, Fortrose: Results of an Archaeological Evaluation (Areas B-G) (Text/Report/Fieldwork Report). SHG25197.

<2> Haston, S-J, 02/2011, '5. Environmental Assessment' in Ness Gap, Fortrose: Results on an Archaeological Evaluation (Areas B-G) (Text/Report). SHG25199.

<3> Lochrie, J, 02/2011, '4. Finds Assessment' in Ness Gap, Fortrose: Results of an Archaeological Evaluation (Areas B-G) (Text/Report). SHG25198.