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Orkney 1949-75 odd ones expanded

From Orkney newspapers 1949-75 a few more non-NMRS reports and a slightly uncertain one :-

Hobbister, Orphir July 28th 1955

Yellowish, slightly curved flint scraper with notch at narrow end (widest end pointed) found in digging turnips at Hobbister Farm. 3" long with sharply chipped edges, 1" wide tapering to half that. Given to Stromness Museum.

Kirbuster Hill, Stromness ~HY245143 November 27th 1958 "The Orcadian"

Unmarked cist, aligned approximately E/W, found near top of hill (not very far from Kirbuster School) whilst levellng ground close to disused quarry. Cist, 47"x 35"x 22", formed of thick side and end slabs and thick heavy coverstone. Contents comprised skull at east. thigh bones, bone fragments.

Schoolcroft, Palace, Birsay ~HY24712796 February 17th 1953 "The Orkney Herald"

During construction of a drain from the house to the shore a coffin of thin blue flags [a 16/17thC fashion, not cheap - source likely to be Big Howe cathedral quarry in South Ronaldsay] was found between shore road and beach on the sandy links. Internal dimensions some 6'5" long, 1'9" wide at the head and ~1'4" deep (bottom not clearly defined). Taking off partly subsided coverstone (which lay under under heavy smooth boulders) and removing some of the infiltrating sand revealed skeleton on side facing seawards i.e. to west. Probable brachthycephalic skull with pronounced facial angle. Disturbed bones put back and coverstone replaced. Newspaper refers to this as traditionally area where shipwrecked sailors buried at a "fairly remote time". There is an orthostat ("vertical headstone") a few yards north of the coffin.

Swona probably ND38SE 12 or 3 September 8th 1966 "The Orcadian"

Between a reed island and the shore of the small lochan there are edge-set stones that could either have been used in astonomical/calendrical observations (the largest being aligned to Polaris) or have formed part of a stalled burial chamber.