Document record MAB50037 - 102 FINDHORN

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Summary

Site of a large Cordoned Urn containing the cremated remains of an adult female (aged between 18 and 25 years) and an infant either in the third trimester of pregnancy or newborn.

Protected Status/Designation

None recorded

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Location

Grid reference	Centred NJ 0397 6443 (40m by 40m) Centred at - Polygon: Known Site Extent
Map sheet	NJ06SW
Authority	Moray
Civil Parish	Kinloss

Type and Period (2)

Full Description

Site of a large Cordoned Urn containing the cremated remains of an adult female (aged between 18 and 25 years) and an infant either in the third trimester of pregnancy or newborn. The urn also contained 22 mostly fragmentary segmented beads and one star-shaped bead, all of faience. The urn was exposed during building works in 1986, at which time it was presumed to be a chimney pot. Its antiquity was realised in 1988, when the urn fractured and fragments of bone began to fall out. It was excavated by I. A. G. and A. N. Shepherd in April 1988. The urn had been inverted in a pit in a sand ridge and an additional deposit of pyre debris placed over the upper fill of the pit. This deposit contained two faience beads, one star-shaped and incomplete, the other quoit-shaped, and a small chunk of grey flint. The urn is very similar to one found on the adjacent Culbin Sands in the 19th century and the beads can also be parallelled there. A radiocarbon determination of 3410+/-50 bp (OxA-7622, which calibrates to 1881-1541 BC, calibrated to 2 sigma) has been obtained from charcoal from the pyre debris. This is the largest single find of faience in Britain and Ireland, and the only example of segmented, quoit and star-shaped beads being found together. The urn is 42 cm tall with a base diameter of 15 cm and shoulder diameter of circa 28 cm.

Period Notes
A radiocarbon determination of 3410 +/- 50 bp (OxA-7622, which calibrates to 1881–1541 cal bc) has been obtained from charcoal from the pyre debris.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 18/04/88 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

URN

SHEPHERD, IAG, 1988, DISCOVERY & EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND (Bibliographic reference). SAB1836.

POWELL, F, 1988, SKELETAL REPORT 102 FINDHORN (Bibliographic reference). SAB1423.

BONES

SHEPHERD, I. A. G., 2001, A CORDONED URN BURIAL WITH FAIENCE FROM 102 FINDHORN, MORAY. PSAS 131 (2001), 101-128., PSAS 131, pp.101-128 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1719.

Apr 16 1988 , HE 2-11, HE 2-11 (Ground Photograph). SAB30286.

Jan 1 1988 , AAS/GR/88/CT01-12,32-35, AAS/GR/88/CT01-12,32-35 (Ground Photograph). SAB32729.

Jan 1 1988 , AAS/GR/88/CT156-61,531-33, AAS/GR/88/CT156-61,531-33 (Ground Photograph). SAB32730.

Jan 1 1988 , AAS/GR/90/CT50, AAS/GR/90/CT50 (Ground Photograph). SAB32788.

May 13 2005 , image 1,3-5, image 1,3-5 (Ground Photograph). SAB32206.

May 20 1988 , HB 16-20, HB 16-20 (Ground Photograph). SAB30285.

May 20 1988 , HF 1-11, HF 1-11 (Ground Photograph). SAB33544.

Author unknown, n.d., FORRES GAZETTE, 04/05/88 (Bibliographic reference). SAB523.

Author unknown, n.d., FORRES GAZETTE, 20/04/88 (Bibliographic reference). SAB523.

ANON, n.d., SURVEY OF PROVINCE OF MORAY, 503-4, FIG 27 (Bibliographic reference). SAB14.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 22/04/88 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Other Statuses/References

Authority: MOR;
NMR Card Number: NJ06SW59;
NRHE Numlink: 69430;
Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ06SW0036;
Treasure Trove: 4044;

External Links (1)

https://www.trove.scot/place/69430 (trove.scot link)

Sources/Archives (15)

--- SAB1270 Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. n.d.. THE NORTHERN SCOT. 22/04/88.
--- SAB14 Bibliographic reference: ANON. n.d.. SURVEY OF PROVINCE OF MORAY. 503-4, FIG 27.
--- SAB1416 Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. . PRESS & JOURNAL. 18/04/88.
--- SAB1423 Bibliographic reference: POWELL, F. 1988. SKELETAL REPORT 102 FINDHORN.
--- SAB1719 Bibliographic reference: SHEPHERD, I. A. G.. 2001. A CORDONED URN BURIAL WITH FAIENCE FROM 102 FINDHORN, MORAY. PSAS 131 (2001), 101-128.. Y. PSAS 131, pp.101-128.
--- SAB1836 Bibliographic reference: SHEPHERD, IAG. 1988. DISCOVERY & EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND.
--- SAB30285 Ground Photograph: May 20 1988 . HB 16-20. Black & White. HB 16-20.
--- SAB30286 Ground Photograph: Apr 16 1988 . HE 2-11. Black & White. HE 2-11.
--- SAB32206 Ground Photograph: May 13 2005 . image 1,3-5. Colour Transparency. image 1,3-5.
--- SAB32729 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1988 . AAS/GR/88/CT01-12,32-35. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/88/CT01-12,32-35.
--- SAB32730 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1988 . AAS/GR/88/CT156-61,531-33. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/88/CT156-61,531-33.
--- SAB32788 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1988 . AAS/GR/90/CT50. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/90/CT50.
--- SAB33544 Ground Photograph: May 20 1988 . HF 1-11. Black & White. HF 1-11.
--- SAB523 Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. n.d.. FORRES GAZETTE. 04/05/88.
--- SAB523 Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. n.d.. FORRES GAZETTE. 20/04/88.