The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

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Tarradale. Blog from NOSAS


Nice piece on the excavations at another major Pictish site

https://nosasblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/26/barrow-loads-of-barrows-excavating-a-monumental-pictish-cemetery-at-tarradale-on-the-black-isle/

Carn Liath (Long Cairn) — Images (click to view fullsize)

<b>Carn Liath</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Carn Liath</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Carn Liath</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Carn Liath</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Carn Liath</b>Posted by strathspey

Carn Liath (Long Cairn) — Fieldnotes

Well, I eventually got back to this site this afternoon - hoping in vane for a slight covering of snow or frost.

The strange little artificial flower arrangement was still there - or the remnants. No new funerary offerings to be seen.

I've added some new photos. Different light today highlighted different features.

My first post for some considerable time....

Newmore Wood Cairn (Cairn(s)) — Images

<b>Newmore Wood Cairn</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Newmore Wood Cairn</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Newmore Wood Cairn</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Newmore Wood Cairn</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Newmore Wood Cairn</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Newmore Wood Cairn</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Newmore Wood Cairn</b>Posted by strathspey

Newmore Wood Cairn (Cairn(s)) — Fieldnotes

Had a walk up to the cairn last weekend (first time in a few years). Surprised to see some disturbance around the remaining circumference. Material doesn’t appear to have been removed but its certainly been moved quite significantly and then replaced again. No sign of vehicles but significant effort would have been needed.

Highland (Mainland) — News

Portrait of an early bronze age highland funeral


http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/02/2014/portrait-of-an-early-bronze-age-highland-funeral

This has received quite a lot of attention in the local press - little wonder, its a wonderful find.

Volunteers invited to participate in public excavation


http://www.aocarchaeology.com/news/warehousecairns

Carn Liath (Long Cairn) — Images

<b>Carn Liath</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Carn Liath</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Carn Liath</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Carn Liath</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Carn Liath</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Carn Liath</b>Posted by strathspey

News

Windfarm developer pays for Archeological investigation of "Horned" cairns


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-17463275

Highland (Mainland) — News

Neolithic Pottery found during work on new flood prevention scheme


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-17397694

Newmore Wood Cairn (Cairn(s)) — Images

<b>Newmore Wood Cairn</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Newmore Wood Cairn</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Newmore Wood Cairn</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Newmore Wood Cairn</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Newmore Wood Cairn</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Newmore Wood Cairn</b>Posted by strathspey

Kings Head Kinrive wood (Chambered Cairn) — Images

<b>Kings Head Kinrive wood</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Kings Head Kinrive wood</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Kings Head Kinrive wood</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Kings Head Kinrive wood</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Kings Head Kinrive wood</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Kings Head Kinrive wood</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Kings Head Kinrive wood</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Kings Head Kinrive wood</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Kings Head Kinrive wood</b>Posted by strathspey

Kings Head Kinrive wood (Chambered Cairn) — Fieldnotes

This is a rather splendid example of an Orkney-Cromarty chambered cairn.

Situated in mature birch woodlands about 1/4 mile west of Kinrive West long cairn, first impressions are wow!

There is a real impression of scale and size. Although the body of the cairn is long since gone, the outer circumference is visible in its entirety. This serves to frame the remaining huge and regularly shaped chamber stones.

Unfortunately these remaining stones are in such a jumble it was difficult for my untrained eye to put some order to what I was seeing. I was actually quite content just to sit on a tree trunk and enjoy the very positive feeling these massive stones exemplify in a very special setting.

Theres a very well preserved cist in the NW quarter.

Access is relatively easy, if a little damp underfoot.

Visited Fri 23rd Sept 2011

http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-352-1/dissemination/pdf/vol_080/80_025_033.pdf

http://her.highland.gov.uk/hbsmrgatewayhighland/DataFiles/LibraryLinkFiles/37169.pdf

Kinrive East (Long Cairn) — Images

<b>Kinrive East</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Kinrive East</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Kinrive East</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Kinrive East</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Kinrive East</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Kinrive East</b>Posted by strathspey<b>Kinrive East</b>Posted by strathspey

Kinrive East (Long Cairn) — Fieldnotes

This is Kinrive Wests' wee brother. This cairn is as short as the West cairn is long.

Only about 40ft long by 20ft wide, lying about 150ft east of its big brother, and sitting on a more east -west axis. To be honest it doesnt look like a long cairn.

The major part of the western section of the cairn has been robbed out but the eastern part is virtually intact.

There are 3 grave markers atop little mounds on the cairn - farm pets judging by the inscriptions. a bit weird and surreal seeing the cairn still being used for its original purpose.......!

A large and recently placed pile of stones on top of the cairn had my imagination working overtime - no grave marker though!

Kinrive West (Long Cairn) — Fieldnotes

This cairn - the 1st of 3 that I visited this day is only about 3 miles from my front door and its taken me 2 years to get round to visiting it.

The term long cairn could have been invented to describe this rather large monument. It is in excess of 200ft long running roughly east-west and about a uniform 45ft wide. Due to the slope of the hill it is about 3-4m tall on the lower edge and about 1m tall on the upper edge.

The cairn lies at the lower edge of cultivated upland pasture which is surrounded by mature birch woodland. The surrounding fields are full of regular shaped lumps and bumps (and sheep) - some of which are described on the FC info board which sits on a plinth just below the cairn.

With the exception of some robber holes, the cairn looks virtually intact to me ( which is a bit of a surprise given the almost total destruction of the nearby Kings Head cairn) although there are no signs of any horns. There are some enormous (clearance) stones on the northern flank. I couldnt see any sign of the stone wall mentioned in Canmore.

I know (from Henshall) that the RCAHMS has done extensive field surveys on this hillside. I would love to see the results.

I spoke to one of the lads who farms here. He said he has never been asked before about the cairns- he only sees the occasional mountain biker who uses the road to access the hilltops and tracks over the hill into Strathrory and the Struie .The FC info board was built years ago - shame that no-one sees it.

Site visited Fri 23rd Sept 2011
Showing 1-50 of 119 posts. Most recent first | Next 50
I grew up in the central Highlands surrounded by the past and listening to stories of the past.

I have worked my whole life on the sea - I now have a real obsession to get away from it!!! The sea in my blood?? ......... b....cks!!
My passions are the wild and remote hills, glens and mountainsides of the Scottish Highlands. Mix in my dog, boots, an OS map and prehistory - Heaven!!

Not for me the potted History of Scotland AD....... nae interested. The mysteries of the peoples who populated these shores BC?.... now you've got me.

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