Archaeology Notes

Event ID 719644

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/719644

NT72NW 7 7111 2745.

(NT 7111 2745) Cairn (NAT) (on remains of) Cairn (NR)

OS 1:10,000, 81975).

A hoard of fourteen Late Bronze Age socketed bronze axes, dating from the late 8thc BC was found in February 1932 by Mrs Cochran of Kalemouth House. Excavations undertaken at the site in November 1932 by Dr J S Richardson and I G Lindsay revealed that the hoard had been inserted into an oval cairn, which measured approximately 25' by 21' and was bordered by a single ring of boulders. Its NW end was incomplete owing to erosion of the bank. Near the centre of the cairn, there was a short cist, containing a food vessel (now in the NMAS), while a second cist, which was empty, lay just inside the perimeter at the SE end. At the opposite end, some 3' from where the axes were discovered and immediately below the earth that covered the cairn, a stone was found incised with a roughly star-shaped arrangement of a few lines.

Twelve of the axes and casts of the two others were donated to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS) by the Earl of Dalkeith (Accession nos: DQ 286-299). Mrs Cochran and Jedburgh Museum each received one of the other two.

Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1932 (Donations); J S Richardson and I G Lindsay 1954; J M Coles 1962; RCAHMS 1956, visited 1951.

The cairn has been heavily robbed, only a slight hollow, c 7.0m in diameter) remaining to indicate its extent. No evidence of a kerb was seen.

The whereabouts of the axe formerly in the possession of the late Mrs Cochran are not known.

Surveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS(RD) 18 December 1967.

Flints, broken mace-head, beaker pottery, and a cup and ring marked stone, found in the fields in the vicinity of the cairn, are in the NMAS. (See also NT72NW 42 and NT72NW 43 )

Information from G Lillee 28 May 1968.

Hoard, found among the stones of a low grass-covered cairn at the top of the left bank of the Briton Syke, near the confluence of the Kale Water and the Teviot, near Kalemouth, Roxburghshire, February 1932, by Mrs Cochran of Kalemouth House. Twelve axes were given to the National Museum, one to Jedburgh Museum and one to Mrs Cochran; there are casts of the latter in the National Museum.

1041. (Socketed axe of Portree type). Socketed axe, smooth cast, slightly porous, green, patina flaked off at mouth, trimmed casting seam, possibly faceted on one face, but very faint; length 90mm, mouth 26 x 30mm, cutting edge 55mm, weight 295 gms. NMAS DQ 296.

1069. (Socketed axe: Kalemouth variant of Portree type). Socketed axe, smooth green surface, short haft-ribs, untrimmed; length 85mm, mouth 27 x 30mm, cutting edge 55mm, weight 260 gms. NMAS DQ 292.

1079. (Socketed axe: Alford variant of Portree type). Socketed axe, smooth green surface, seam hammered, trimmed; length 80mm, mouth 28 x 31mm, cutting edge 56mm, weight 235 gms. NMAS DQ 293. Probably from the same mould as no. 1080.

1080. (Socketed axe: Alford variant of Portree type). Socketed axe, smooth green surface flaking off, damaged at mouth, longitudinal scratch-marks; length 80mm, mouth 28 x 32mm, cutting edge 56mm, weight 230 gms. NMAS DQ 294. Probably from the same mould as no. 1079.

1104. (Socketed axe of Gillespie type). Socketed axe, smooth, green, mouth damaged, blade hammered, trimmed, strong haft-ribs; length 84mm, mouth 25 x 31mm, cutting edge 65mm, weight 285 gms. NMAS DQ 295.

1335. (Socketed axe of Welby type). Socketed axe, green, smooth, mouth and cutting edge damaged, untrimmed; length 90mm, mouth 27 x 28mm, cutting edge 51mm, weight 225 gms. NMAS DQ 291.

1356. (Socketed axe of Yorkshire type). Socketed axe, smooth, green, untrimmed, scratch marks on blade; length 85mm, mouth 27 x 27mm, cutting edge 53mm, weight 265 gms. NMAS DQ 289.

1357. (Socketed axe of Yorkshire type). Socketed axe, smooth but porous, green, untrimmed; length 85mm, mouth 27 x 28mm, cutting edge 52mm, weight 275 gms. NMAS DQ 287.

1358. (Socketed axe of Yorkshire type). Socketed axe, smooth, porous, cleaned, untrimmed; length 88mm, mouth 28 x 28mm, cutting edge 53mm, weight 235 gms. NMAS DQ 286.

1359. (Socketed axe of Yorkshire type). Socketed axe, cast of original in possession of Mrs Cochran; length 83mm, mouth 26 x 26mm, cutting edge 49mm. NMAS DQ 298.

1360. (Socketed axe of Yorkshire type). Socketed axe, smooth, slightly porous, green, untrimmed; length 83mm, mouth 28 x 30mm, cutting edge 53mm, weight 240 gms. NMAS DQ 290.

1361. (Socketed axe of Yorkshire type). Socketed axe, original in Jedburgh Museum; length 84mm, mouth 25 x 28mm, cutting edge 52mm. NMAS DQ 299.

1362. (Socketed axe of Yorkshire type). Socketed axe, smooth, green, flaws inside, trimmed, cutting edge notched; length 85mm, mouth 26 x 29mm, cutting edge 49mm, weight 270 gms. NMAS DQ 288.

1556. (Socketed axe of Yorkshire type). Socketed axe, smooth, green, untrimmed, blade hammered, haft-ribs; length 78mm, mouth 28 x 31mm, cutting edge 55mm, weight 270 gms. NMAS DQ 297.

P K Schmidt and C B Burgess 1981.