MHG44893 - Cist - Embo Street, Dornoch
Summary
A cist in a burial cairn at Embo Street, Dornoch.
Type and Period (1)
- CIST (Bronze Age - 2400 BC? to 551 BC?)
Protected Status
Full Description
NH89SW 1 8089 9138.
(NH 8089 9138) Cairn (NR) Stone Cist (NR) OS 6"map, (1960)
Remains of an excavated circular cairn, with diameter of some 44'. Near the centre a short cist has been exposed. The slab, which still partially covers the cist, is some 6' in length by 2'4" in breadth across the centre and 6" in thickness. On the underside of this stone, at its W end, is a well-defined cup mark about 2 1/2" across and 3/4" deep. Some 2.5" to S of cup a shallow groove runs along the centre of the stone from its W end for about 1'11" curving at its E extremity towards the S. There are a number of small hollows on both surfaces, which seem to be natural.
RCAHMS 1911, visited 1909.
Before excavation by Tait on 12th April 1867 the cairn of earth and rubble, measured 30' in diameter and 11' in height.
L Tait 1870
While inspecting cairn in January 1933, when it was overgrown by whins, Davidson came across an incised stone among debris in the bottom of cist. It was a flat sandstone about 18" long tapering from 15" broad to a rounded point. The sculptured device is about 11" long and 4.5" wide and 1/4" deep. J M Davidson 1940.
A whin covered cairn c.12.5m in diameter and c.1.2m high with a central cist as described by RCAHMS. The West end of the cap-stone bearing the cup-mark has been broken off, and could not be found. The surviving part still bearing the groove, is 1.3m long. The cairn is placed to the S of a stream, which has cut slightly into its N arc. Traces of a curving stony bank of uncertain date and purpose extend for about 50.0m to W from SW arc of the cairn.
Revised at 1/2500. Visited by OS (A A) 23 March 1971.
NGR adjusted based on 2020 vertical aerial photographs. <1>
Sources/Archives (4)
- --- SHG1166 Text/Publication/Article: Tait, L. 1870. 'Note of a Kist, with a Cup-marked cover, found in a mound on the Links of Dornoch', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 7 1866-8, p.270. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 270. 270.
- --- SHG1202 Text/Publication/Article: Davidson, J M. 1940. 'Notes on some antiquities from Sutherland', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, Vol 74 (1939-40), pp 13-23. p 18; illust.
- --- SHG2657 Text/Report: RCAHMS. 1911. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions of Scotland. Second report and inventory of monuments and constructions in the county of Sutherland. . 48, No. 137.
- <1> SHG28725 Image/Photograph(s)/Aerial Photograph/Vertical: Get Mapping. 2020. Getmapping aerial photography 2020.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NH 8089 9137 (4m by 4m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NH89SW |
| Geographical Area | SUTHERLAND |
| Civil Parish | DORNOCH |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (2)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (2)
- http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM1788 (Online designation description (Historic Environment Scotland))
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/15357 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
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