Ormsary
Cist(S) (Bronze Age), Battleaxe (Stone)(Bronze Age)
Site Name Ormsary
Classification Cist(S) (Bronze Age), Battleaxe (Stone)(Bronze Age)
Canmore ID 39060
Site Number NR77SW 4
NGR NR 7405 7242
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/39060
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish South Knapdale
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
NR77SW 4 7405 7242
NR 740 724. During land clearance, one massive cist was exposed and at least two others probably destroyed. The cist, which measured internally 1.20m x 0.7m, oriented NE-SW, was excavated. A few tiny fragments of bone and a perforated stone battle axe were found.
A Morrison 1971.
The find spot, at NR 7405 7242, was indicated on the ground by Mr Graham who was present during the discovery. The site is now covered by a barn. He states that the three cists were covered by a gravel mound about 10.0m in diameter and 1.2m high. The slabs and capstone of the largest cist are preserved in a field at NR 7367 7238.
Site surveyed at 1:10,000.
Visited by OS (DWR) 21 June 1973; (undated) information from Mr D Graham, North Lodge, Ormsary.
Note (1988)
In 1971, in the course of earth-moving operations preparatory to the building of new steadings at Ormsary, four cists were discovered on the edge of a low natural mound; two were immediately destroyed (nos. 3 and 4 on RCAHMS 1988 plan). Two cists were, however, excavated and recorded prior to their removal (Morrison 1971). (The Commissioners are indebted to Dr A Morrison, who excavated the site, for additional information.)
Aligned NE and SW, the first cists (no.1) measured about 1.1m by 0.7m and 1.1m in depth, with stones at each end of the interior jammed in to support the side-slabs. The capstone was a massive slab measuring 1.9m by 1.64m and up to 0.25m in thickness. A few tiny fragments of cremated bone were recovered, and a peforated stone battle-axe was found beneath one of the supporting stones at the N end of the cist. An unusual feature of the NW side-slab was the presence in it of a perforation close to the SW edge and 0.3m from the top; it measured about 100mm in diameter at the surface and about 70mm at the centre. The second cist was less well preserved, aligned NNE and SSW, it measured about 1.3m by 0.8m, but the NNE end-slab did not survive, and the capstone had been broken and was scattered in the interior. No traces of the burial remained; charcoal and some tiny fragments of flint were the only items recovered from the interior.
RCAHMS 1988
