MHG10155 - Burial & Stone disc, Portgower
Summary
No summary available.
Type and Period (1)
- BURIAL (Iron Age - 550 BC to 560 AD)
Protected Status
- None recorded
Full Description
ND01SW 3 0007 1284.
(ND 0009 1287) Burial with Stone Disc found 1960 (NAT)
OS 25 " map, (1971)
During ploughing at the beginning of May 1960 a large flat stone was lifted by the plough and in a small hollow revealed,some bones and a stone disc were found.
The slab, about 3ft 9ins long by 2ft 6ins wide by 4ins thick, with a very smooth underside, was lying EW with another large stone, much narrower, lying at its E end but not touching it. There was no cist underneath the larger stone which was supported at its corners by small flat stones. The bones included part of the jaw with seven or nine teeth and parts of leg and arm bones, but it was not certain if the burial was "crouched" or not.
The stone disc was about 4ins in diameter by about 3/16ins thick, very smooth and of a blue-grey stone. The site was examined and the finds taken away by Dr Pennie, Golspie (information from J O F Mackay, Portgower).
The site was pointed out by Mr MacKay at ND 0007 1285, in a level field which had been in cultivation for many years. The stones have been replaced in the ground and the field is now under crop.
Some 50m South of this site, just outside the field wall, is a very mutilated and disturbed area, too obscure for any interpretation. (See ND01SW 5). Visited by OS (W D J) 28 May 1960.
Site surveyed at 1:2500. Visited by OS (R L) 22 February 1968.
The disc is a finely-ground, circular stone palette of a type known from brochs, crannogs, and Traprain Law; and was donated to the NMAS by Mr MacKay, Portgower.
Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1963; I D Pennie 1960.
The disc is listed under Acc. No. AV 17 in the NMS catalogue. Described as of micaceous sandstone, buff-grey. The centre of each face was very slightly concave and smoothed by use, the edge chipped in two places. <1>
Human remains from the site are within NMS collections. <2>
Sources/Archives (4)
- --- SHG1360 Text/Publication/Article: Pennie, I D. 1960. 'Portgower', Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 1960, p.40. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland. 40. 40.
- --- SHG586 Text/Publication/Article: PSAS. 1963. 'Donations to and purchases for the Museum and Library', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 94 1960-1, p.327-35. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 327-35. 327.
- <1> SHG28278 Dataset/Database File: National Museums Scotland. 2019. Highland Finds from the NMS Catalogue. National Museums Scotland. Digital. AV 17.
- <2> SHG28455 Dataset/Database File: 2020. Database of Human Remains in Museum Collections from Highland Area. NMS, IMAG & Marishal College. Digital.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred ND 0006 1284 (6m by 6m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | ND01SW |
| Geographical Area | SUTHERLAND |
| Civil Parish | LOTH |
Finds (2)
- HUMAN REMAINS (Iron Age - 550 BC? to 560 AD?)
- DISC (Iron Age - 550 BC? to 560 AD?)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (1)
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/7493 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
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