Archaeology Notes

Event ID 669907

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/669907

NJ72NW 1 7477 2885

See also NJ72NW 2.

(NJ 7477 2885) Stone Circle (NR) (Stone Ladle found).

OS 6" map, (1959)

The Loanhead of Daviot recumbent stone circle, comprising two concentric circles of stones with a central cairn, conspicuously situated at 531ft (162m) OD on a broad shelf near the summit of a gentle hill, was excavated in 1934. The excavations produced evidence of Beaker and Middle Bronze Age burials, with Iron Age burials and occupation.

The outer circle, 64ft (19.5m) internal diameter, is formed of 10 monoliths (5 of which were prostrate but were re-erected after excavation) and a large recumbent stone (split in two) on the S arc. Round each monolith a cairn had been piled and in some of these evidence of burials was found - in one a pot in the Hallstatt tradition, in another a similar pot containing calcined bones and in a third a short cist with cremated burial and a Pygmy urn. Monolith 9, numbering clockwise with the W flanker as 1, has 5 cup marks.

Within the main circle was the inner ring of stones, 54ft (16.5m) in diameter, forming a kerb to the central cairn which was about 12ft (3.65m) diameter and built over a cremation pyre. Prior to excavation these had been extensively robbed. On the N side of the recumbent stone, in order to keep the cairn away from it, a fender of stones was built into the inner ring.

Associated with the circle on its eastern arc was a low earthen bank, probably medieval, extending in a SE-NW direction, but most of it was removed when the Late Bronze Age cemetery (NJ72NW 44) was excavated (Kilbride-Jones 1936).

A stone ladle about the size and shape of an ordinary breakfast cup was found by workmen 'cleaning out' the circle about 1863 (Name Book 1867). Other finds included Beaker sherds, Iron Age potsherds, flint scrapers and a sword mould of clay, Late Bronze Age, according to Coles (1973). The relics from the excavation were presented to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS) in 1939 (PSAS 1939).

Name Book 1867; H E Kilbride-Jones 1935; H E Kilbride-Jones 1936; Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1939; J M Coles 1962; R W Feachem 1963.

A recumbent stone circle as described and planned.

Resurveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (RL) 11 March 1969.

This recumbent stone circle is situated on a broad shelf near the summit of a gentle hill at an altitude of 155m OD. The monument was photographed from the air in 1977 (AAS/77/3/SC/12) and has been photographed from the ground by GRC (CP11-15, CT15 and CV1-14) while the finds are held in the RMS under accession numbers EQ 451 and 464-78.

In 1989, the removal of stones from the central space of the ring-cairn and the returfing of the monument were supervised by IAG Shepherd and GJ Barclay.

NMRS, MS/712/19.

Air photograph: AAS/94/06/G15/26.

NMRS, MS/712/21.

Air photographs: AAS/97/08/G18/6-9 and AAS/97/08/CT.

NMRS, MS/712/29.

Scheduled as Loanhead, stone circle and enclosed cremation cemetery.

Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 12 February 2001.