Craig Carn-na-bhodachd, Skye

NG55NW 4 NG 512 552

An earth-house was discovered about 3rd July, 1913, by workmen digging for gravel for the new road from Portree to Staffin, and partially destroyed before being reported. It ran almost parallel and 59 ft. to the W of the road, Craig Carn-na-Bhodachd (the old man's cairn) rising about 200 yards behind it, and was of undressed drystone construction. Before disturbed, the main chamber measured 36ft in length, giving, with the entrance tunnel, a total length of at least 70ft For the greater part the chamber measured 5ft 5ins - 4ft 4ins or so in height and about 3ft 6ins in width. About 15ft from the inner end the wall on the W side had bulged in considerably, some of the stones being quite loose, and beyond that for about the last 9ft it contracted to a width of about 2ft, the end being blocked by a round stone with a flat stone above it. Whether the latter had fallen from the roof, or whether there was an entrance at this end, it is impossible to say without excavation.

A quantity of bones of horse, ox, pig and red-deer were found together with limpet shells, a probable hammer-stone and many fragments of coarse hand-made pottery with inverted rims, and one piece showing some ornamentation in the form of a thin raised wavy line; also half of an iron hinge attached to a small piece of wood.

The pottery bears a slight resemblance to pottery from the brochs, but the latter shows better paste and finish and a rim not so sharply recurved.

The finds have been presented to the Hunterain Museum, Glasgow.

J G Callander 1914.

This earth-house was not found and local enquiries were negative, including the Resident Engineer's Office, Portree.

Visited by OS (A C) 5 April 1961.