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Balure
Cist(S) (Bronze Age)
Site Name Balure
Classification Cist(S) (Bronze Age)
Alternative Name(s) Benderloch
Canmore ID 23318
Site Number NM94SW 13
NGR NM 900 420
NGR Description NM 900 420 and NM 901 421
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/23318
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Ardchattan And Muckairn (Argyll And Bute)
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
NM94SW 13 900 420 and 901 421.
In March 1954 a cist was discovered during ploughing operations in a field to the north of Balure farmhouse (The Scotsman 26 March 1954). In the same field, a second cist, which had been discovered many years before, was examined at the same time.
Cist A: was located at NM 900 420 at a depth of 0.3m below the surface. It was aligned roughly NE-SW and had two massive cover slabs, the upper slab measuring 1.9 by 1.2 metres with a maximum thickness of 0.3 metres, and the lower slab 2.0 by 1.5 metres with a thickness of 0.4 metres. The cist itself measures 1.52 by 0.9 metres and 0.75 metres in depth internally and was formed of four large slabs, the side slabs being about 0.13 metres thick and the end slabs 0.7 metres. It had contained an inhumation burial of which only one femur remained partly embedded in a thin layer of silt which had accumulated over the gravel floor of the cist. There were no grave goods. After examination, the cist was filled with soil and is no longer visible.
Cist B: was located about 55 metres NNE of 'A' at NM 901 421. It had been severely damaged at the time of its discovery and had lain open ever since. It measures internally 1.2 by 0.6 metres and 0.5 metres in depth. It lay about 0.4 metres below ground level, its longer axis being aligned N-S. There is no record of any skeletal remains or grave goods.
RCAHMS 1975.
Field Visit (April 1967)
NM 900 420 and 901 421. In March 1954 a cist was discovered during ploughing operations in an arable field to the NE of Balure farmhouse and within 150m of S shore of Loch Creran (The Scotsman, 26 March 1954). A second cist, situated a short distance away in the same field, which had been discovered many years before, was examined at the same time.
(1) The first cist, situated about 150m NNE of the farmhouse, was encountered at a depth of 0.3m when the uppermost of its two massive slabs were struck by the plough. When this slab (1.9m by 1.2m and 0.3m in greatest thickness) was removed it was found to be resting on a second cover-slab (2.0m by 1.5m and 0.4m in thickness). The cist, which was aligned NE and SW, measured 1.52m by 0.9m and 0.75m in depth internally and was formed of four large slabs, the side slabs being about 0.13m thick and the end slabs 0.7m. It had contained an inhumation burial of which only a fragment of one femur remained, lying partly embedded in a thin layer of silt which had accumulated over the gravel floor of the cist. There were no grave-goods. After examination the cist was filled with soil and is no longer visible.
(2) The second cist, situated about 55m NNE of (1), had been severely damaged at the time of its discovery and had lain open ever since. Measuring internally 1.2m by 0.6m and 0.5m in depth, with the longer axis aligned N and S, it lay about 0.4m below ground-level. There is no record of any skeletal remains or grave-goods.
RCAHMS 1975, visited April 1967.
