MHG39181 - Kerb Cairn - Eyre Point

Summary

A kerb cairn in an area of many other possible cairns.

Type and Period (1)

  • KERB CAIRN (Bronze Age - 2400 BC? to 551 BC?)

Protected Status

  • None recorded

Full Description

To the SW of cairn MHG4107 are a further six cairns, three of which are kerbed, and one of which shows a central capstone. <1>

Eyre point has the potential for being a significant funerary site probably spanning several millennia. The prominent remains of a chambered chairn (MHG4107) has been known for many years. In 1998 R.Miket reported a further six small cairns close by and the contributors reported a chambered cairn at Pairc nan Each (MHG35620), overlooking Eyre last year (DES 1999, 59). In Feburary and April 2000 the area was looked at in detail and at least 17 cairns are now thought to be present, mostly round and many with stone kerbs. All are quite small with diameters varying from 3.0m to 7,0m, but significantly several are rectangular, almost square in plan. A further very disturbed patch of land , closer to the sea, some 35m long by 15m wide may contain 5 small kerbed cairns, two rectangular cairns, an unidentified mound ands several possible boat burials. A preliminary list of features at Eyre includes 2 chambered cairns, 3 round cairns, 8 kerbed cairns, 4 rectangular cairns, 3 boat burials , 1 unidentified mound, together with a probable fishermans bothy and some small shallow pits. <2>

The cairns at Eyre point were intended to be surveyed by ACFA, however access to the croft land containing Eyre point was refused. Instead, a combination of previous notes and observations from the strand between the sea and the raised beach were drawn together, and the results of which were published in 2004. 3m south of MHG33464 was a sub-circular mound 4m by 3.2m and 0.3m high. There was no stone visible, the feature being covered in grass and heather, but the cairn had a well defined shape. <3>

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred NG 5796 3417 (7m by 6m) (2 map features)
Map sheet NG53SE
Geographical Area SKYE AND LOCHALSH
Civil Parish PORTREE

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

External Links (1)

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