Little Asta
Cist (Period Unassigned), Cremation (Period Unassigned), Inhumation(S) (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Little Asta
Classification Cist (Period Unassigned), Cremation (Period Unassigned), Inhumation(S) (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Asta
Canmore ID 1103
Site Number HU44SW 10
NGR HU 4108 4094
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/1103
- Council Shetland Islands
- Parish Tingwall
- Former Region Shetland Islands Area
- Former District Shetland
- Former County Shetland
HU44SW 10 4108 4094.
A two-storeyed cist, the first known in Shetland, was found on 2nd June 1931 by a party of workmen under Andrew Hall, Westerhoull, Scalloway, quarrying for road metal on the east side of the public road, not far from Little Asta, and a short distance south of a burnt mound (HU44SW 8), at about 50' above sea level. There was nothing to indicate the site.
In the upper compartment of the cist were two steatite urns and fragmentary remains of unburnt bones of a young person, while in the lower compartment were the unburnt remains of an adult with the cremated remains of a four or five year old child.
The site was examined by J M Currie, RCAHMS; G V Wilson, HM Geological Survey of Scotland, and Mr Strachan, his assistant. The restored urns were donated to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS) by Mr. Hall.
J M Currie 1931; RCAHMS 1946.
This cist, still in situ, was located at HU 4103 4095, in a disused roadside quarry. It is as described.
Visited by OS(RL) 7th may 1968.
