Building record MAB29060 - SANDS OF FORVIE

Remains of ring-cairn, with outer kerb diameter circa 6.40m, of which only the western half survives.

Remains of ring-cairn, with outer kerb diameter circa 6.40m, of which only the western half survives. Stones vary in size, but generally the larger stones are found in the southwest part of the circle. The inner kerb has a diameter of circa 3.65m and is complete save for an arc of 1.21 m in the northeast. The inner kerb is sunk lower than the outer one by 0.15 m, although their tops are on the same level. The area between the two kerbs is filled with rubble down to the level of the base of the outer kerbstones, with large stones at the bottom, resting on sand. In the centre area enclosed by the kerbs are four upright stones, forming a 'four-poster', set in a layer of stained sand with carbon streaks. Above was black earth with charcoal and a number of white quartz fragments at the base of the layer. Large quantities of burnt bone came from within the central square. Sherds of Late Bronze Age 'flat-rimmed' ware were also found. Five phases of use of the monument have been identified: construction of the ring cairn, emplacement of the four-poster structure, two phases of deposition of calcined bone, and partial destruction of the monument by removal of some of the kerb stones. Visited in October 2022 during SCAPE coastal zone assessment survey.

Period Notes
Radiocarbon date: Q-761 - wood, identified as carbonised oak, from post hole 2602 +/- 115 BP (which equals 993 BC - 407 BC at 2 sigma).

KIRK, W, 1953, PREHISTORIC SITES AT THE SANDS OF FORVIE, ABERDEENSHIRE: A PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION. IN ABERDEEN UNIV REVIEW 35, 150-71
, 150-71 (Bibliographic reference). SAB979.

HENSHALL, AS, 1963, CHAMBERED TOMBS OF SCOT 1, 398 (Bibliographic reference). SAB724.

KENWORTHY, JB, 1972, RING-CAIRNS IN NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND. IN SCOT ARCH FORUM 4, 24 (Bibliographic reference). SAB998.

THOM, A, 1980, BAR 81, 192-3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1922.

RALSTON, I, 1992, THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE SANDS OF FORVIE AND THE YTHAN VALLEY (Bibliographic reference). SAB3054.

RALSTON, IBM, 2001, EXCAVATIONS OF SECOND AND FIRST MILLENNIA BC REMAINS ON THE SANDS OF FORVIE, SLAINS, ABERDEENSHIRE. O'DELL MEMORIAL MONOGRAPH 28 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3071.

SCAPE, 2023, COASTAL ZONE ASSESSMENT SURVEY ABERDEENSHIRE AND CITY OF ABERDEEN: CULLEN TO MILTON NESS, ID 12666 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4866.

Record last edited

Feb 19 2024 11:04AM