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Ness of Brodgar Cairns

Cairn(s)

Fieldnotes

Visited 4.6.12

There are several cairns which can be seen from near the Ring of Brodgar.

The largest is approximately 2 metres high x 20 metres across and has been clearly dug into.
I also spotted 4 smaller mounds each approximately 1 metre high x 15 metres across and 1 slight ‘bump’.
The cairns were covered in rough grass.


Canmore states:
A group of eight tumuli to the SE of the Ring of Brodgar (HY21SE 1) was visited by the Commission in August 1928. (Seven were published in 1881 on the OS 25"map 1881 1st ed. and six in 1903 on the OS 6"map 1903 2nd ed.)
They varied from 17 ft to 36 ft in diameter and from mere inches up to 3 or 4 ft in height. Three showed signs of excavations.
F W L Thomas 1852; RCAHMS 1946.

These possible cairns or barrows are as described by the Commission except that weathering and cultivation have affected their outlines. Where sufficient remains, they are grass-covered mounds of stone or earth and stone, some of them flat-topped, and they vary from 4.5m. to 12.8m.in diameter and up to 1.1m. in height. No finds have been reported from any of the group.
Resurveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (RB) 24 April 1966.
Posted by CARL
10th July 2012ce

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