MHG2136 - Burial Cairn, Ackergill
Summary
Site of late Neolithic-Bronze Age excavated burial cairn. A series of lithics were recovered from the feature.
Type and Period (1)
- BURIAL CAIRN (Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 551 BC)
Protected Status
- None recorded
Full Description
A cairn as described. Visited by OS (N K B) 3 September 1982.
Cairn (NR) OS 6" map, (1968)
The remains of this cairn measure overall 28 by 21m and 2m high. It is largely grass-covered, but many large stones protrude. The largest stone visible is a slab 2.1m long by 1.3m wide and 0.1m thick lying on the side of the mound. The top of the cairn has been hollowed by old excavations.
Visited by OS (R D L) 21 April 1963.
Cairn, Ackergill: The scanty remains of a large cairn show no features of interest or importance, so thoroughly has it been demolished.
RCAHMS 1911.
A leaf-shaped spearhead, broken, an imperfect leaf-shaped arrowhead, a barbed arrowhead, and 23 cores, scrapers and chips of flint, all from this cairn, were presented by representatives of late Sir Francis Tress Barry to the NMAS in 1908.
Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1908.
This site was re-appraised along with the other cemetery sites in the area using Society of Antiquaries of Scotland manuscripts, and published sources, by Anna Ritchie. <1>
The 23 cores, scrapers or flakes of flint donated by Sir Francis Tress Barry in 1908 are listed under Acc. Nos. AB 1226-48 in the NMS catalogue.
Three arrowheads were also donated to the NMS in 1908 from Sir Francis Tress Barry's collection (Acc. Nos. AD 1344-46). These are recorded as coming from Ackergill, Wick, Caithness and so one of them may be the barbed and tanged arrowhead from the excavation here. The two others are likely leaf shaped arrowheads from MHG2024. <2>
Human remains from the site are within NMS collections. <3>
Sources/Archives (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. . 191, No. 590.
- --- SHG624 Text/Publication/Article: PSAS. 1909. 'Donations to and purchases for the Museum and Library, with exhibits', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 43 1908-9, p.8-23, 73-5, 145-6, 176-9, 268-71, 291-5. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 8-23, 73-5, 145-6, 176-9,. 19.
- <1> SHG27264 Text/Publication/Article: Ritchie, A.. 2011. Cemeteries of platform cairns and long cists around Sinclair's Bay, Caithness. Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 141. 125-143. Digital.
- <2> SHG28278 Dataset/Database File: National Museums Scotland. 2019. Highland Finds from the NMS Catalogue. National Museums Scotland. Digital. AB 1226-48, AD 44-6.
- <3> 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 3487 5437 (23m by 27m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | ND35SW |
| Civil Parish | WICK |
| Geographical Area | CAITHNESS |
Finds (6)
- CORE (Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC? to 551 BC?)
- SCRAPER (TOOL) (Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC? to 551 BC?)
- FLAKE (Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC? to 551 BC?)
- BARBED AND TANGED ARROWHEAD (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC)
- SPEARHEAD (Neolithic to Late Bronze Age - 4000 BC to 551 BC?)
- LEAF ARROWHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2401 BC)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (1)
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/9244 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
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