Archaeology of Inchmarnock Research Project - St Marnock's Chapel 2001
Date 2001
Event ID 1123646
Category Recording
Type Excavation
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1123646
NS 02 59 (island centre) St Marnock’s Chapel. The building (NMRS NS 05 NW 2) is thought on architectural grounds to date to the 12th/13th centuries. A trench was excavated to the N, S, E and W. Five well-constructed stone cists were identified, although only one contained human remains. A mortar surface was identified in the southern half of the nave but is not thought to be contemporary with the chapel’s construction. Two small cross-slabs were retrieved; one with embossed interlace thought to date to the 12th or 13th century, and a fragment of slate inscribed with the remains of a marigold cross thought to be 10th or 11th century. Smaller fragments of slate were also found to have been inscribed and may be the remains of test pieces, although at least two appear to be the broken remains of gaming boards.
There appears to be no distinct spatial arrangement to the graveyard, and bone preservation varies across the site. A number of archaeological layers were identified and recorded around the chapel and will be excavated in future seasons.
Sponsor: Sir Robert Smith
Headland Archaeology, S Halliday 2001
