MHG1816 - Camster Round Chambered Cairn
Summary
An Orkney-Cromarty type round cairn, virtually intact. This is one of the group of three cairns known as the 'Grey Cairns of Camster'.
Type and Period (1)
- CHAMBERED ROUND CAIRN (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2401 BC)
Protected Status
Full Description
An Orkney-Cromarty type round cairn, 60' in diameter and 12' high, virtually intact, with a particularly fine chamber which together with ND24SE 21, gives name to its type. This is one of the group of three cairns known as the ' Grey Cairns of Camster' (See also ND24SE 1 and 17) Excavation by Anderson and Shearer in 1865 produced flint implements and an iron knife-blade, now in NMAS (Acc No's : EO 97-123) and pottery, now lost. Further excavation was carried out by R Ritchie in 1967 prior to the public's being allowed access to the chamber. A tiny fragment of beaker was found,and half the blocking in front of the entrance was removed.
Surveyed at 1:10,000. A S Henshall 1963; Name Book 1872; Curr Archaeol 1972; J Anderson 1886; RCAHMS 1911; S Cruden 1967; Visited by OS 11 April 1972. <1> <2> <3> <4> <5> <6>
The cairn was Scheduled in 1934 together with the chambered long cairn to the northeast (see MHG1809).
Douglas Scott posted a photograph on the Highland HER Facebook page showing the rising sun shining into the cairn at 7:06am on 10 September 2003. <7>
The Scheduling was amended by Historic Environment Scotland in 2017 to better reflect the monuments and to add a second cairn further to the south (see MHG1817). <8>
Human remains from the site are within NMS collections. This comprises only unburnt bone including fragments of cranial and long bones and a molar crown. These are presumed to be from Anderson and Shearer's excavations on 1865. <9> <10>
Flint implements, chips, flakes, a flint knife, iron knife and pottery sherds are listed in the NMS catalogue. They were acquired in 1873 from Dr. J. Anderson and are listed under Acc. Nos EO 97-123, 1136-40. <11>
The flint knife from the NMS (EO 97) was loaned to Dunbeath Heritage Museum where it is on display. <12>
Sources/Archives (23)
- --- SHG12527 Image/Photograph(s): Camster Round.. Colour Slide; Digital Image. .
- --- SHG1323 Text/Publication/Article: Anderson, J. 1868. 'On the chambered cairns of Caithness, with results of recent explorations', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 6 1864-6, p.442-51. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 442-51. 449-51.
- --- SHG1404 Text/Publication/Article: Anderson, J. & Shearer, R.I.. 1866. Report on the ancient remains of Caithness and results of explorations conducted for the Anthropological Society of London by Messrs. Joseph Anderson and Robert Innes Shearer in 1865. Memoirs Read Before the Anthropological Society of London Vol. 2 (1865-6). 226-56. 245-9.
- --- SHG1407 Text/Publication/Article: Stuart, J. 1870. 'Report to the committee of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, appointed to arrange for the application of a fund left by the late Mr A Henry Rhind, for excavating early remains', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 7 1866-8, p.289-307. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 289-307. 293.
- --- SHG2053 Text/Publication/Volume: Close-Brooks, J. 1986. Exploring Scotland's Heritage: The Highlands. 164-5, No. 93.
- --- SHG2115 Text/Publication/Volume: Davidson, JL and Henshall, A S. 1991. The chambered cairns of Caithness: an inventory of the structures and their contents. 102-4; plan.
- --- SHG3913 Image/Photograph(s)/Aerial Photograph: B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4016 Image/Photograph(s)/Aerial Photograph: B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4354 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4355 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4356 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- <1> SHG357 Text/Publication/Monograph: Henshall, A S. 1963. The chambered tombs of Scotland, Volume 1. 263-6, CAT 13.
- <2> SHG3343 Text/Publication/Monograph: Ordnance Survey. Object Name Books of the Ordnance Survey. 13. Book No. 13, 234.
- <3> SHG1454 Text/Publication/Article: Current Archaeology. 1971-2. Round up: excavations 1971. 132. 132.
- <4> SHG1898 Text/Publication/Volume: Anderson, J. 1886. Scotland in pagan times: the bronze and stone ages: the Rhind lectures in archaeology for 1882. Vol. 1, 130.
- <5> SHG2664 Text/Report: RCAHMS. 1911. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions of Scotland. Third report and inventory of monuments and constructions in the county of Caithness. . 184, No. 565.
- <6> SHG395 Text/Publication/Article: Cruden, S. 1967. Camster Round Cairn, Caithness. 56. 56.
- <7> SHG25262 Interactive Resource/Webpage: Highland Council. 2011. Highland HER Facebook page. Yes. Douglas Scott, 18/05/2011.
- <8> SHG27816 Text/Designation Notification/Scheduled Monument: Historic Environment Scotland. 2017. Amended entry in the Schedule of Monuments: SM90056 Grey Cairns of Camster. Historic Environment Scotland. Digital.
- <9> SHG28455 Dataset/Database File: 2020. Database of Human Remains in Museum Collections from Highland Area. NMS, IMAG & Marishal College. Digital.
- <10> SHG28462 Text/Correspondence: 2020. Correspondance with Matthew Knight Regarding Human Remains in NMS Collections.
- <11> SHG28278 Dataset/Database File: National Museums Scotland. 2019. Highland Finds from the NMS Catalogue. National Museums Scotland. Digital. EO 97-123, 1136-40.
- <12> SHG28482 Text/Record Form/Project Recording Form: Archaeology for Communities in the Highlands (ARCH). 2019. Dunbeath Heritage Centre Archives.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred ND 2607 4403 (60m by 60m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | ND24SE |
| Civil Parish | WICK |
| Geographical Area | CAITHNESS |
Finds (9)
- FLAKE (Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC? to 551 BC?)
- SHERD (Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC? to 551 BC?)
- KNIFE (Undated)
- KNIFE (Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC? to 551 BC?)
- TRANSVERSE ARROWHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2401 BC)
- SCRAPER (TOOL) (Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC? to 551 BC?)
- POINT (Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC? to 551 BC?)
- BLADE (Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC? to 551 BC?)
- HUMAN REMAINS (Neolithic - 4000 BC? to 2401 BC?)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (2)
- http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM90056 (Online designation description (Historic Environment Scotland))
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/8693 (View HES Canmore entry for this site)
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