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Field Visit
Date June 1980
Event ID 1167624
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1167624
At least four burials of Viking date have been discovered in sand-dunes near Ballinby, and there are indications that one or possibly two other finds were made there in the later 18th or early 19th century.
(1) [NR26NW 4.2] Two oval 'tortoise' brooches are said to have been found 'under a large standing stone' at Ballinby (NR c.21 67). The standing stone was probably one of those described under NR26NW 13 or NR26NW 14. The brooches were presented to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in May 1788 (Archaeologica Scotica 3 (1831), Appendix, 68; PSAS 14 (1879-80), 71; NMAS IL 215-6).
(2) [NR26NW 4.1] In 1877 erosion of the sand-dunes about 400m W of Ballinaby (NR c.218 671) revealed two burials accompanied by rich grave-goods. Two skeletons lay a short distance apart with their heads to the E, at a depth of 0.4m, in an enclosure formed of stones set on edge, possibly resembling that at Kiloran Bay, Colonsay (RCAHMS 1984). One was accompanied by a sword and scabbard, a shield-boss and grip, an iron spearhead, a ferrule containing the remains of a wooden shaft, two axes, an adze, a hammer and tongs for smithing, as well as fragments of a cauldron and what may have been the terminal of a drinking-horn.
The other burial was accompanied by a silver pin with a filigree decorated head, a chain of silver wire, two oval brooches, a bronze ladle, bronze mounts decorated with repousse ornament, a mount with a curved edge, a bronze needle-case containing a needle, a glass linen-smoother and beads. Some teeth from an iron heckle were originally thought to be part of the helmet and are recorded as associated with the male grave (Name Book, No. 33, p.105; PSAS 12 (1877-78), 600; 14 (1879-80), 51-69; NMAS IL 125-56).
(3) [NR26NW 4.03] In 1932 a large cist aligned with its long axis ENE and WSW was discovered about 360m W of NR26NW 4.01 on a natural rock shelf near the top of a knoll covered with drifting sand (NR c.214 671). At the time of its discovery the structure consisted of twelve large slabs, four of which were set on edge to form each side, and four cover slabs. There were no end-slabs in position, but several suitable stones are recorded as lying nearby. The cist measured about 2.1m in length, 0.5m in depth and between 0.6m and 0.8m in width internally; it contained a skeleton in an extended position with the head at the WSW end. The burial was accompanied by a iron axe, sword, shield-boss, fragments of an iron sickle or knife, a bronze buckle and ringed pin (PSAS 68 (1933-4), 74-8; NMAS IL 379-84).
(4) The NSA may describe the discovery of one or more Viking burials, when it refers to the excavation of 'one or two swords a pike-head and many human bones' from a sand-hill near the largest standing stone at Ballinaby (NR c. 220 671) by Captain Burgess of the Savage and is crew. The Savage visited Islay on several occasions between July 1788 and July 1789 (PRO, London, Adm/51, 835, Pt. iii).
(5) [NR26NW 22] A sword of Viking type from Islay, which is illustrated by Pennant, who visited Ballinaby in 1772, may have come from a burial there (NR c. 21 67) (Pennant, Tour, 1772, 1, pl. xliv).
RCAHMS 1984, visited June 1980.
