Knowes Of Yonbell
Barrow(S) (Bronze Age), Burial (Early Bronze Age), Vessel (Steatite)(Bronze Age)
Site Name Knowes Of Yonbell
Classification Barrow(S) (Bronze Age), Burial (Early Bronze Age), Vessel (Steatite)(Bronze Age)
Canmore ID 1901
Site Number HY22SW 13
NGR HY 2457 2264
NGR Description HY 2457 2264 and HY 2456 2251
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/1901
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Sandwick
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
HY22SW 13 2457 2264 and 2456 2251.
(A - HY 2457 2264 : B - HY 2456 2251) Knowes of Yonbell (NR)
O.S.6"map, Orkney, 2nd ed.,(1903).
Two conspicuous burial mounds.
'A' is 53ft in diameter and from 8 to 10ft 6ins high. It has been excavated on top and at the north side but again filled in. It is said to have yielded only a few burnt bones.
'B' is 43ft in diameter and about 5ft 6ins high, and has also been opened. An excavation at least 3ft deep has been made at the base, on the south side, in which an urn of steatite was found. The mound is of light coloured soil and has apparently had a kerb of fairly large stones round it.
RCAHMS 1946.
The Knowes of Yonbell are two greatly reduced turf-covered earthen mounds.
'A' is situated conspicuously on a hill top, and now measures c.12.0m. in diameter and 1.2m. in height and is a barrow, later used as a boundary-mark.
'B', a barrow, is situated near the foot of the hill on which stands 'A', is flat-topped, and now measures c.11.0m. in diameter and c.1.0m. high.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS(RL) 23 May 1967.
Field Visit (23 May 1967)
The Knowes of Yonbell are two greatly reduced turf-covered earthen mounds.
'A' is situated conspicuously on a hill top, and now measures c.12.0m. in diameter and 1.2m. in height and is a barrow, later used as a boundary-mark.
'B', a barrow, is situated near the foot of the hill on which stands 'A', is flat-topped, and now measures c.11.0m. in diameter and c.1.0m. high.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS(RL) 23 May 1967.
Field Visit (8 October 1993)
During a visit made during the Orkney Barrows Project, it was noted that the two bowl-shaped mounds appear to be continuing to erode. The steatite urn reported during an earlier visit could not be located.
Knowes of Yonbell 1: Diameter 12.0m. Height 1.0m. Some stone blocks visible. Very prominent S-SE for c.1km. Visible W for c.400m.
Knowes of Yonbell 2: Diameter 12.0m. Height 1.0m. Visible for 500m to E and W.
Information from the Orkney Barrows Project (JD), 1993
Note (2020)
Knowes of Yonbell
This burial site in Orkney Islands was a focus for funerary practices in the Bronze Age period, between 2200 BC and 1501 BC.
Prehistoric Grave Goods project site ID: 60009
CANMORE ID: 1901
Total no. graves with grave goods: 1
Total no. people with grave goods: 1
Total no. grave goods: 1
Prehistoric Grave Goods project Grave ID: 74111
Grave type: Mound
Burial type(s): Unknown
Grave good: Vessel (Unknown/Unspecified)
Materials used: Steatite
Current museum location: Unknown
Further details, the full project database and downloads of project publications can be found here: https://doi.org/10.5284/1052206
An accessible visualisation of the database can be found here: http://blogs.reading.ac.uk/grave-goods/map/
