Lewis, Keava Island

NB13NE 13 1999 3520

There is a burial cairn about 18m long N-S, 14m E-W and 2.5m high. The original structure incorporates a rock outcrop which protrudes from the SE and SW corners of the mound. It is built largely with stones up to 1m long. The E side meets the present rocky shore, the S edge touches a shingle storm beach, and the W side goes under 0.5m peat deposits. There is no evidence of orthostats or roof slabs, but the height is sufficient to incorporate a chamber.

The top of the mound has been disturbed by being levelled and having a sub-rectangular setting of stones built on it. This setting is about 8m long (N-S) and 6m wide. On the W and N the edge is only a single row of stones but on the E side it thickens to a low wall 1.5m thick, the inner face having three courses of slabby stones. There is the suggestion of a right-angled corner to the interior on the SE and of a doorway on the NE. The mound is located on a very small promontory of land at the NE corner of the island of Keava, and is now reached by the highest tides.

This site was brought to our attention by Mr J Crawford of Garynahine.

M R and G R Curtis 1994g.