Rousay, Geord Of Nears
Burial Cairn (Early Bronze Age), Cist (Early Bronze Age), Cremation (Early Bronze Age), Cinerary Vessel(S) (Steatite)(Early Bronze Age)
Site Name Rousay, Geord Of Nears
Classification Burial Cairn (Early Bronze Age), Cist (Early Bronze Age), Cremation (Early Bronze Age), Cinerary Vessel(S) (Steatite)(Early Bronze Age)
Canmore ID 2630
Site Number HY42NW 16
NGR HY 42356 27376
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/2630
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Rousay And Egilsay
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
HY42NW 16 4236 2738.
Until a few years ago all that could be seen of the cairn, which lies some 700 yds WSW of Trumland House, was a slight mound 25 ft in diameter. It showed however, a double setting of standing stones with their major axis approx N and S. Of the inner group, which measures about 10 ft by 5 ft, some rise to a height of 3 ft 6 ins and 4 ft, others no more than pierce the turf. From 4 to 6 ft outside the second and more imperfect setting where two stones on the N arc are, 3 ft 4 ins and 2 ft 3 ins high, while those on the E and W are but 2 or 3 ins above the ground.
Excavation of the inner setting carried out by W G Grant in 1932 disclosed, towards its N end, a small cist, 1 ft 9 ins by 1 ft 3 ins. Within the cist were fragments of one or perhaps two large steatite urns and fragments of cremated human bones.
RCAHMS 1946; W G Grant 1933.
The remains of a cairn at NY 4235 2738 which appears to have been about 6.0m in diameter and edged with slabs on edge of which only seven or eight survive, best defined in the NW. The central construction survives as planned by Grant. It appears to have been a rough chamber, entered from the S, whose original plan cannot now be positively identified.
It is possible that this may have been a Viking burial.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS(ISS) 8 October 1972.
Orkney Smr Note (September 1980)
Before excavation by Callander and Grant in 1932 this was a
slight mound, 25ft in diameter, with the top of the central
slab-construction protruding. These central upright slabs were
set around a cist which contained fragments of two steatite urns
and burnt human bone. Grant does not however describe the larger
slab-construction as a chamber. The dating is uncertain; Grant
tentatively suggests Bronze Age but mentions the inserted cists
in the broch mound at Oxtro, Birsay, and the possibility that the
steatite vessels may be Norse.
[R1] + [R2]
Remains of cairn which appears to have been c6m dia, edged
with slabs on edge of which only 7 or 8 survive, best defined in
NW. Central construction survives as planned by Grant. It
appears to have been a rough chamber entered from the S, original
plan now not positively ascertainable. It is possible that this
may have been a Viking burial.
OS visit Oct 1972.
As described; mound is very slight indeed and the erect
slabs are the only easily visible feature.
Information from Orkney SMR (RGL) Sep 1980.
Field Visit (September 1980)
Geord of Nears HY 4235 2738 HY42NW 16
Slight mound with erect slabs representing the central cist-like setting excavated by Grant.
RCAHMS 1982, visited September 1980
(Grant 1933; RCAHMS 1946, ii, pp. 210-11, No. 572; OR 561)
Note (2020)
Geord of Nears
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: 60046
CANMORE ID: 2630
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: 72322
Grave type: Cist
Burial type(s): Cremation
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/
