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MHG63121 - Cup marked stone - Clava-type Cairn, Corrimony (1)

Summary

A cup marked stone at Clava-type Cairn, Corrimony.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

NH33SE 6 3830 3030.

(NH 3830 3030) Stone Circle {NR}
OS 6"map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1904)

This Clava-type passage grave was excavated by Professor Piggot, during the summer of 1952. His excavation has now been filled in.
Before excavation the cairn measured about 60' in diameter, and 8' in height, and was composed, for the most part, of water-worn stones. A large, flat, cup-marked stone, now thought to have been the cap-stone of the chamber lay on top.
Excavation revealed traces of a crouched inhumation burial beneath the flagged floor of the chamber. There were no grave-goods.
Of the 11 stones forming the outer ring round the cairn 4 are modern additions and 2 have been reset in recent times. The stones range from 5' -9' in height. An area of cobbling,apparently an original feature, was revealed between two of the stones on the N.W. One of the stones on the N.W. is said to bear cup-marks on its outer-facing side, but these are now unconvincing.
The only artifact found during excavation, was a bone pin, calcined and eroded, which is now in Nat. Mus. Ants. Scot (EO 956)
S Piggott 1956; A S Henshall 1963

A stone on the NW side of the outer circle has cup marks on the outer face. Another stone, which lay on the W. side of the cairn until 1830, and is now on the top, also has cup marks.
A Mitchell 1875

This cairn, surrounded by a fence, is maintained by the MOW. It is as described above.
Resurveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (N K B) 4 December 1964

Drumnadrochit & Fort Augustus Local Plan, Oct 1991: P13/2.39.
Ancient Mons & Archyl. Sites. POLICY - The Council will safeguard Ancient Mons & Archyl. Sites insofar as this is compatible with its aim of achieving a sound employment base for the local popn. Where conditions are appropriate the Council commends better promotion and Interpn. Of sites for the public benefit.
J Aitken : 05/06/01.

Douglas Scott posted photographs of this cairn on the Highland HER Facebook page in May 2011. He comments that most of the Clava cairn passages are aligned to the midwinter sun or the southern moon, but as shown on the 9th February 2006 at Corrimony, the setting sun shines into the burial chamber in early November and February. As it does so the beam of light will sweep over the centre of the chamber under which the remains of a woman was found facing down the passage towards the setting sun. <1>

This panel was recorded as part of the ScRAP (Scotland’s Rock Art project) by members of NoSAS in August 2020. The panel lies on top of the Corrimony, a Clava type cairn. The cairn is a 'Property in Care' and monitored by Historic Environment Scotland and regularly visited by the public. The cairn is situated immediately to the NNW of the minor road to Corrimony, on the flat ground about 220m south of the River Enrick. The cairn and associated standing stones are enclosed by a metal fence and approached across a footbridge over the ditch between the road and cairn. Another cupmarked stone, Corrimony 2, is on one of the standing stones to the north of the cairn.

The panel is a roughly triangular gneiss slab 2.40 x 1.30m and 0.40m thick. It now lies on top of the cairn stones on the east side of the cairn. It is thought to be the capstone of the cairn and was removed about 1830 when the cairn was first excavated. It may have been placed in its present position on the top of the cairn stones during later excavations and some rebuilding of the cairn. The slab has many cupmarks, with approximate 72 cups, 1 dumbbell and 1 set of 3 cups joined with grooves. The stone has a number of fissures across the top but generally has a smooth surface. <2>

NGR adjusted based on 2017 vertical aerial photographs. <3>

Sources/Archives (9)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 3831 3030 (7m by 6m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH33SE
Civil Parish	URQUHART AND GLENMORISTON
Geographical Area	INVERNESS

Finds (0)

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Related Investigations/Events (1)

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