Ardnacross, Mull

NM54NW 3 541 491

(NM 5418 4914) Cairns (NR),

(NM 5419 4912) Standing Stone (NR),

(NM 5417 4917) Stones (NAT)

OS 1:10,000 map, (1976)

Cairns and Standing Stones, Ardnacross: Three kerb-cairns and the remains of two flanking settings of standing stones are situated on a platform in the hillside above Ardnacross and 600 m WSW of the farm. The largest cairn (1 on RCAHMS plan), at the S end of the group, is comparatively well preserved; it measures 5.5 m in diameter and has a kerb of large boulders which, except in the NE quadrant where the perimeter has been destroyed by ploughing, are almost continuous. The cairn material is still about 0.4 m in height on the S side, but on the N it is virtually level with the surrounding ground. Several kerb-stones of another cairn (2) may be seen protruding through the turf 4.6 m to the NW; it is about 4 m in diameter and, on the S side, is some 0.2 m high. One metre to the N, five kerb-stones of a further cairn (3), about 3 m in diameter, are visible at ground-level. Both groups of standing stones appear to have been aligned NNE and SSW but only one stone is still upright. The SE group comprises one prostrate slab (at least 2.3 m long and 1.1 m broad), a standing stone of rectangular section, now leaning slightly to the S (2.4 m high and 1.05 m by 0.5 m at the base), and a third slab, half of which is covered by turf, but which is at least 1.9 m long and 1.25 m broad. The three stones of the NW group have all fallen and are partly obscured by turf, but the largest is at least 2.8 m long, 1.4 m broad and 0.35 m thick.

J W Judd 1875; U Betts 1958; RCAHMS 1980, visited 1972.

These kerbed cairns and standing stones are as described by the RCAHMS.

Surveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (DWR), 1 May 1974.

In 1990 a second season of excavation and survey was carried out to investigate the possible astronomical significance of the two stone rows at Ardnacross. Only one stone is standing in the southern row and all three stones of a possible northern row are rapidly becoming overgrown. There are three badly damaged kerb cairns between the two rows. Excavation has revealed the original position of one of the fallen stones in the southern row, which will allow the original orientation of the row to be determined. Detailed surveys have been carried out to test hypotheses that the row was aligned on astronomical events and/or landscape features. The fallen stone had been deliberately buried in a pit.

Ard-marks were found, pre-dating the erection of the southern row. Lazy-bed cultivation appears to have taken place after the stone row was built and before its partial demolition. Finds consisted mainly of quartz pebbles, some of which may have been worked.

Sponsors: Earthwatch and the Center for Field Research, Boston, MA, USA. R Martlew and C Ruggles 1990.

The final season of excavation at this site revealed that the northern row of three stones had suffered a similar fate to the southern row: the outer stones had been deliberately pushed over into pits, while the central stone had been left standing. In the northern row this stone had fallen of its own accord, leaving a well-preserved stonehole from which charcoal fragments and quartz were recovered.

A pit near the northern row, about one metre deep and one metre in circumference at the top, contained a setting of four stones. Two remained upright, but the other two slightly smaller stones appear to have been knocked out of position by ploughing. A bronze bracelet was found in the bottom of the pit, along with a deposit which is currently undergoing analysis.

The whole of the area appears to have been cleared, and perhaps kept clear, by burning. Carbonised cereal grains and charcoal representing hazel scrub were recovered and will be submitted for dating. Further dating evidence was obtained from the construction level of the southernmost kerb-cairn, which appears to have been surrounded by a stone-revetted bank. The purpose of this may have been to grade the heights of the kerb stones towards the largest stone in the south-western arc. Scatters of quartz pebbles were concentrated around the bank, and samples were collected for luminescence dating.

The assessment of the astronomical significance of the site awaits further processing of the field survey data.

Sponsors: Earthwatch and the center for Field Research, Boston, MA, USA. R Martlew and C Ruggles 1991.