MHG11884 - BA Anvil in Cairn nr mouth R Cassley
Summary
One of two possible locations based on antiquarian sources. See also MHG10068
Type and Period (2)
- CAIRN? (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC)
- FINDSPOT? (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC)
Protected Status
- None recorded
Full Description
NC40SE 7 4701.
A MBA bronze anvil, found in a cairn near the mouth of the River Cassley about 1871, was donated to NMAS by the Duke of Sutherland in 1891 (DO 30).
It takes the form of a flattened conical block 3 3/4" long from which there extends a supporting projection and on the top of which there are fine grooves for the shaping of bronze wire or for gold-working.
J A Smith 1882; Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1891; J M Coles 1966.
This anvil was found around 1870. The precise findspot is unknown, and the sources give two different descriptions of its location (Smith, 1882; PSAS, 1891). Neither descriptions are very detailed, and are far enough away from each other a record at each location has been made for this same find. This location is perhaps more convincing, as it fits the description of being 'near the mouth of the River Cassley'. The other description is: '…in a cairn near the Kyle of Oykel, a little farther up than the place where the blade occurred [Meikle]'. The mouth of the Cassley is where it joins the River Oykel, which could therefore be the reference to the Kyle of Oykel, and it is upstream of Maikle, although by quite a distance.
See MHG10068 for other possible findspot location.
GW 05/12/18
Sources/Archives (4)
- --- SHG1245 Text/Publication/Article: Smith, J A. 1882. 'Notice of a large copper-like or brass anvil, stated to have been found in the South of Scotland: also of a small ancient bronze anvil, found in Sutherland', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 16 1881-2, p.15-25. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 15-25. 22-4; illust 23.
- --- 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. 118, 147.
- --- SHG28278 Dataset/Database File: National Museums Scotland. 2019. Highland Finds from the NMS Catalogue. National Museums Scotland. Digital. DO 30.
- --- SHG615 Text/Publication/Article: PSAS. 1891. 'Donations to and purchases for the Museum and Library, with exhibits', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 25 1890-1, p.6-8, 64-8, 131-4, 163-6, 348-51, 417-21. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 6-8, 64-8, 131-4, 163-6, . 67.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NC 4699 0099 (14m by 14m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NC40SE |
| Geographical Area | SUTHERLAND |
| Civil Parish | CREICH |
Finds (1)
- ANVIL (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC)
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (3)
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/4862 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
- https://nms.scran.ac.uk/database/record.php?usi=000-100-034-438-C&scache=3ucct2ben4&searchdb=scran (Link to NMS online collections database entry)
- https://www.scran.ac.uk/database/record.php?usi=000-100-034-438-C& (Link to online SCRAN entry)
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