MHG52994 - Cist burial - Slacknamarnock, Inverness
Summary
A short cist containing a single crouched inhumation burial of probable Bronze Age date exposed and recorded during a monitored topsoil strip by Headland Archaeology at Slacknamarnock Quarry near Inverness in 2008.
Type and Period (1)
- SHORT CIST (Early Bronze Age - 2400 BC? to 1501 BC?)
Protected Status
- None recorded
Full Description
A short cist was identified during a monitored topsoil strip by Headland Archaeology at Slacknamarnock Quarry in August 2008. The cist, located on a small knoll at the southern edge of the stripped area, was capped by an arrangement of eight flat angular sandstone slabs laid in two distinct layers. The sides of the cist were formed by six slabs set on edge to form a sub-rectangular structure measuring 0.78m by 0.64m internally. The cist contained a single inhumation that had been placed in a crouched position on the right side with head placed close to the southeast corner. The hands and knees had been drawn tightly towards the head. Only part of the skeleton was preserved, this was dictated by its location within the cist and how well it was sheltered by the capstones. It included part of the skull, vertebrae, part of both femurs and the lower arms. The results of the osteological assessment suggest that the individual may have been female and was probably older than 45 years. The bones were well preserved suggesting that the rest of the skeleton had been dissolved by water infiltrating the cist rather than simply decaying over time. There was no formal floor and the body had been placed on the natural sandy gravel till at the base of the cist. No artefacts were present within the cist. <1> <2> <3>
The full details of the site are to be included in the published report for wider excavations by Headland Archaeology at Culduthel. <4>
The excavation assemblage was submitted to Treasure Trove (TT 72/10) and submitted to Inverness Museum (Acc. No. 2012.002). <5>
Sources/Archives (5)
- <1> SHG24593 Text/Report/Fieldwork Report: Murray, R. 01/2009. Slacknamarnock Quarry, Inverness: Excavation of a cist and cremation burials. Headland Archaeology Ltd. Digital.
- <2> SHG24588 Text/Publication/Serial: Millburn, P (ed). 2009. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland - New Series, Volume 9, 2008. Paper (Original). pp 107-8.
- <3> SHG24594 Text/Report/Fieldwork Report: Troy, C. 01/2009. Appendix 4: Osteological Assessment in Slacknamarnock Quarry, Inverness: Excavation of a cist and cremation burials. Headland Archaeology Ltd. Digital.
- <4> SHG25837 Text/Report/Fieldwork Report: Murray, R.. 2010. Culduthel Farm Phase 7 and 8: Draft publication report. Headland Archaeology Ltd. Digital.
- <5> SHG28208 Dataset/Database File: Treasure Trove. 2019. Highland Finds from Treasure Trove Annual Reports 2004-18. Treasure Trove. Digital. TT 72/10.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | NH 65871 41655 (point) Approximate |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NH64SE |
| Civil Parish | INVERNESS AND BONA |
| Geographical Area | INVERNESS |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Investigations/Events (1)
External Links (1)
- http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/296073/details/slacknamarnock+quarry/ (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
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