nature or artifice

Loch of Skaill Niche 1

Image by wideford

wideford Nov 27, 2003 13:17:37

There is a stretch of the road that runs alongside the Loch of Skaill . It is practically devoid of detail apart from a quarry near one end . But what took my attention when I walked that way was the object whose image lies in posts 21675 and 21676 . It could always be natural , but I can't help but feel that this triangular niche is all that we can see of a structure from when the road was cut through the present bank . Any thoughts welcomed .

Moth Nov 27, 2003 13:55:21

Replying to wideford

Ah, you mean http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/21675 & http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/21676

To me it looks artificial from the photies.

Was there water in the bottom? Could an animal like say a sheep, get it's head in? From what I can see, it reminds me of a coupla 'well-type' things I've seen.

love

Moth

Steve Gray Nov 27, 2003 14:00:11

Replying to wideford

Looks like a culvert to me. Designed to channel a small stream underneath a road for example. If there is a road or track above it, the culvert was probably built when the original road was constructed.

Martin Nov 27, 2003 14:49:55

Replying to wideford

artificial.
What sort of scale is it on? And how far back does each of the channels go- can you get your head/arm/hand in?
Kinda looks like some sort of drainage structure- what other sites are nearby?
Cheers,
Martin

wideford Nov 27, 2003 17:36:57

Replying to wideford

The niche is roughly 12-18" high . I don't see how it looks like the end of a drain , especially as presently it would empty onto the road (and there is the loch just the other side ) and before the metalled road would presumably have been well covered by hillside . As I mentioned it is a thoroughly isolated structure , and my first thought is that when the road-cut was first made they stopped cutting back at that point precisely because it appeared and could have led to delays if it were investigated .