MHG7755 - BA Poolewe Hoard, c100m E of Creag an Fhithic
Summary
A Bronze Age hoard, known as the Poolewe hoard, consisting of 5 socketed axeheads, 3 rings and a penannular ornament with trumpet terminals.
Type and Period (1)
- FINDSPOT (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC)
Protected Status
- None recorded
Full Description
See also NG88SE 42.
A Late Bronze Age bronze hoard, not earlier than LC8 BC (J M Coles 1962) was found by Hector McIver in May 1877 during peat-digging on high ground, on N side of and overlooking the River Ewe some distance beyond public school at Poolewe. (W Jolly 1880) The contents lay together at a depth of 6' and consisted of 5 socketed axes (1 broken and 2 fragmentary), 3 rings and a penannular ornament with trumpet terminals.
In 1879 most of hoard was acquired by Sir Kenneth McKenzie of Gairloch, who presented penannular ornament to NMAS in 1881 (Acc No: DO 20). One of rings was retained by McIver and is now untraceable, but Coles located remainder of hoard at Conan House, and it is now on loan to NMAS (Acc Nos: L.1958.7-13).
W Jolly 1880; J M Coles 1962; NMAS Loan Card Index.
The hoard was found in peat bog centred at NG 862 805 approximately 100m E of Creag an Fhitich, the "high ground" mentioned by Jolly (W Jolly 1880), but the exact findspot cannot be ascertained. No similar finds have been made since.
Visited by OS (N K B) 15 March 1965.
Hoard, found in 1877 when digging peats at a site on N side of the river Ewe and some distance from Public School at Poolewe. The finder, H. MacIver, kept one object (a ring like one other with a T-shaped section) which is now untraceable.
The hoard comprised: three socketed axes of Sompting type (or variant), two unclassified socketed axes, ring with hollow section and rectangular hole in one side, two rings with T-shaped section (one of them missing), and penannular ornament with trumpet-shaped terminals.
(Socketed axes of Sompting type).
1581. Socketed axe, rough brown surface, cleaned(?), untrimmed, blade hammered, portion of haft inside socket; length 112mm, mouth 30x31mm, cutting edge 70mm, weight 390 gms. NMA (L.1958.8).
1582. Socketed axe, damaged, most of mouth missing, rough brown surface, cleaned (?), untrimmed; length 93mm, cutting edge 63mm, weight 210 gms. NMA (L.1958.10).
(Socketed axe: Roseberry Topping variant of Sompting type).
Socketed axe, rough surface, light brown, flaw underneath loop, trimmed, cutting edge corroded or worn, short haft ribs; length 113mm, mouth 35 x 35mm, cutting edge 59mm, weight 380 gms. NMA (L.1958.7).
(Unclassified socketed axes).
1693. Socketed axe fragment, cutting edge, light brown; cutting edge 69mm, weight 125 gms. NMA (L.1958.9).
1694. Socketed axe fragment, part of mouth missing, rough, porous, light brown; length 56mm, cutting edge 38mm, weight 80 gms. NMA (L.1958.11).
PK Schmidt and CB Burgess 1981.
This hoard has been dated by Matt Knight, NMS, as Earliest Iron Age (800-600BC). A radiocarbon date from a piece of surviving wood of oak or ash from the haft of one of the axeheads was obtained, producing a date of 801-571 BC, calibrated to 2 sigma. This date is the first for any hoard of this phase in Britain. <1> <2>
The hoard is currently on loan to Gairloch Museum (2019). <3>
Sources/Archives (9)
- --- SHG1194 Text/Publication/Article: Jolly, W. 1880. 'Notes on bronze weapons and other remains found near Poolewe, Ross-shire', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 14 1879-80, p.45-9. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 45-9. 45-7; fig., 47.
- --- SHG1476 Text/Publication/Article: Coles, J M. 1962. ''Scottish Late Bronze Age metalwork: typology, distributions and chronology'', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 93 1959-60, p.16-134. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 16-134. 129.
- --- SHG2125 Text/Publication/Volume: Dixon, J H. 1886. Gairloch in north west Ross-shire: its records, traditions inhabitants and natural history with a guide to Gairloch and Loch Maree. 103-4.
- --- SHG28278 Dataset/Database File: National Museums Scotland. 2019. Highland Finds from the NMS Catalogue. National Museums Scotland. Digital. DO 20.
- --- SHG3000 Text/Publication/Article: Schmidt and Burgess, P K and C B. 1981. 'The axes of Scotland and Northern England', Prahistorische Bronzefunde Vol. 9. Prahistorische Bronzefunde. 241, nos. 1581-2, 245, no. 1628 and 252, nos. 1693-4..
- --- SHG610 Text/Publication/Article: PSAS. 1881. 'Donations to and purchases for the Museum and Library, with exhibits', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 15 1880-1, p.5-10,73-81,105-112,154-8,188-94,249-253. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 5-10,73-81,105-112,154-8,. 155-6, no. 4.
- <1> SHG28201 Text/Publication/Article: Knight, M. 2019. A Radiocarbon Date for a Llyn Fawr Phase Hoard from Scotland. PAST: The Newsletter of the Prehistoric Society, Issue 91. 13-14. Online. pp. 13-4.
- <2> SHG28166 Text/Publication/Article: Sheridan. A, et al. 2018. Scottish Archaeological Radiocarbon Dates Associated with National Museums Scotlans, 2017/18. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland. 217-221. pp. 271.
- <3> SHG28500 Text/Record Form/Project Recording Form: Archaeology for Communities in the Highlands (ARCH). 2019. Finds Collection at Gairloch Museum.
Map
Location
Grid reference | Centred NG 8619 8050 (4m by 4m) (Buffered by site type) |
---|---|
Map sheet | NG88SE |
Geographical Area | ROSS AND CROMARTY |
Civil Parish | GAIRLOCH |
Finds (4)
- DRESS FASTENER (UNKNOWN) (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC)
- HOARD (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC)
- RING (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC)
- AXEHEAD (Bronze Age - 2400 BC to 551 BC) + Sci.Date
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (2)
- http://nms.scran.ac.uk/database/record.php?usi=000-100-034-434-C& (Link to NMS online collections database)
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/11986 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
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