MHG10763 - BA Hoard, Kirtomy Moss
Summary
No summary available.
Type and Period (1)
- FINDSPOT (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC)
Protected Status
- None recorded
Full Description
Coles (1966), quoting Mackay (1909), records 2 palstaves and a Class II flanged axe, in Dunrobin Museum, as MBA hoard, dating from around 1200 BC, found in a peat moss on hill above junction of Kirtomy road and main road (NC 749 623) by Patrick MacKay, Swordly, a few years before 1897. His evidence for including the flanged axe is not known, but his sub-authority, Rev A MacKay does not mention it, and the only flanged axe in Dunrobin Museum is unlocated (Acc No: X 50).
Coles records separately a Middle Bronze Age spearhead (Class E) which was also found in Kirtomy Moss, and was acquired for Dunrobin Museum, through Robert Murray, Croick, Forsinard. A paper-cast of spearhead was in the NMAS in 1892 (DG 17) (NMAS 1892) and its Dunrobin Museum Accession No (1880.5) suggests it may have entered that museum in 1880. Similarly, palstaves may have entered museum 1887 (Acc Nos: 1887. 1 & 2).
NMAS 1892; A Mackay 1909; J M Coles 1966; Information from TS of Catalogue of Dunrobin Museum, by A S Henshall.
Hoard from a peat moss on a hill, found about 1895 by P Mackay of Swordly.
483. (Long-flanged axe of Kirtomy type). Flanged axe, dark-green and brown patina, damaged in places, bar-stop; length 147mm, butt 25mm, stop-height 3mm, cutting edge 60mm, weight 430 gms. Dunrobin Castle museum (X 50).
875. (Palstave of trident variant of Shelf type). Palstave, smooth, brown-green, thick butt; length 155mm, butt 23mm, stop-height 13mm, weight 440 gms. Dunrobin Castle museum (1887-2).
894. (Palstave of midribbed variant of Roundhay type). Palstave, smooth, brown-green, sandy in hafting portion; length 151mm, butt 25mm, stop-height 11mm, cutting edge 52mm, weight 420 gms. Dunrobin Castle museum (1887-1).
P K Schmidt and C B Burgess 1981.
The site of the findspot was visited as part of a walkover survey by Highland Archaeology Services in 2007 prior to the proposed development of a windfarm scheme, though the site itself lay outside the scheme area. There were no surface indications of the site. <1>
The flanged axehead, 2 palstaves and spearhead were catalogued during an inventory of Dunrobin Castle Museum's collection in 2019 by ARCH. Listed under Acc. No. X50, 1887.1-2 and 1880.5. They are on display in case 26, shelf C. <2>
Sources/Archives (7)
- --- SHG1287 Text/Publication/Article: Mackay, A. 1909. 'Notice of two flanged palstaves of bronze from Craig-a-Bhodaich, Farr, Sutherland', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 43 1908-9, p.240-2. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 240-2. 242.
- --- SHG1477 Text/Publication/Article: Coles, J M. 1966. 'Scottish Middle Bronze Age metalwork', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 97 1963-4, p.82-156. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 82-156. 144, 155; illusts..
- --- SHG2591 Text/Publication/Volume: NMAS. 1892. Catalogue of the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland. 137.
- --- SHG28278 Dataset/Database File: National Museums Scotland. 2019. Highland Finds from the NMS Catalogue. National Museums Scotland. Digital. DG 17.
- --- SHG3000 Text/Publication/Article: Schmidt and Burgess, P K and C B. 1981. 'The axes of Scotland and Northern England', Prahistorische Bronzefunde Vol. 9. Prahistorische Bronzefunde. p. 82, no. 483, p. 148, no. 875 and p. 150, no. 894.
- <1> SHG25702 Text/Report/Fieldwork Report: Wood, J.. 2007. Bettyhill Wind Farm Environmental Statement: Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Baseline Survey. Highland Archaeology Services Ltd. Digital. p.17 W18.
- <2> SHG28514 Collection/Finds Collection: Archaeology for Communities in the Highlands (ARCH). 2019. Finds Collection At Dunrobin Castle Museum. X50, 1887.1-2 and 1880.5.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NC 7490 6230 (4m by 4m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NC76SW |
| Geographical Area | SUTHERLAND |
| Civil Parish | FARR |
Finds (4)
- PALSTAVE (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC)
- AXEHEAD (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC)
- CAST (Modern - 1901 AD to 2100 AD)
- SPEARHEAD (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Investigations/Events (1)
External Links (1)
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/6409 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
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