Monument record MAB25992 - CAT CAIRN

Remains of a large cairn.

Remains of a large cairn. This is one of four large stone cairns on the gravel ridge of Tullos Hill which form the remains of an important Bronze Age cairn cemetery, probably dating to the early 2nd millennium BC. The cairn lies on the summit of a low rise and is the most westerly of the cairns. It is the most visited on the hill. It is at the end of a short walk from the Hareness Road car park. It measures 16.5m in diameter and 2.5m high, and consists of a mass of loose boulders and stones. Round cairns usually mark the location of burials, in elaborate stone lined graves or 'cists'. The burial of high status individuals usually occurred in conspicuous locations, like this cairn. However no archaeological excavation of this site has taken place to confirm this. Its location boasts a view towards the sea and of Baron's and Crabs Cairn, and over the Vale of Tullos. The shape of the cairn has changed over time as a result of its proximity to a highly populated area. A raised platform survives on both the north and south sides. The naming of the cairns on Tullos Hill is recent. Brown's map of the area in 1777 is the first very detailed map of the area (it is held in the city archives). It reveals that Tullos cairn was so named in 1777 but none of the rest of the cairns had their modern names at that point. Cat cairn do not seem to be names known at that time, although they have assumed their names by at least 1867. A watching brief was carried out by Aberdeen City Council Archaeological Unit in 2009 during ground works for a kissing gate in proximity to the cairn, but no archaeological features were observed. A watching brief was carried out by Aberdeen City Council Archaeological Unit in April 2010 during works at the cairn, including path restoration.

CFA ARCHAEOLOGY, 2004, TULLOS HILL, ABERDEEN, WALKOVER SURVEY (Bibliographic reference). SAB7086.

ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL ARCHAEOLOGICAL UNIT, 2010, REPORT ON AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF AT NESS FARM AND TULLOS HILL LANDFILL SITE, NIGG, ABERDEEN (Bibliographic reference). SAB6477.

ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL ARCHAEOLOGICAL UNIT, 2010, REPORT ON ARCHAEOLOGICAL MONITORING AT CAT CAIRN SCHEDULED MONUMENT, TULLOS HILL, NIGG, ABERDEEN, Watching brief report (Bibliographic reference). SAB6468.

Aug 5 1988 , AAS/88/08/S16/13, 14, AAS/88/08/S16/13, 14 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB34027.

Aug 19 1987 , AAS(A)/87/02/S2/2, AAS(A)/87/02/S2/2 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB34026.

Mar 15 2001 , AAS-01-2-G3-4, AAS-01-2-G3-4 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB34054.

Record last edited

Apr 2 2026 2:00PM