South Walls, Cantick Head
Barrow (Bronze Age), Cist(S) (Bronze Age), Cist (Early Bronze Age), Cremation (Early Bronze Age), Inhumation (Early Bronze Age), Food Vessel Urn (Early Bronze Age)
Site Name South Walls, Cantick Head
Classification Barrow (Bronze Age), Cist(S) (Bronze Age), Cist (Early Bronze Age), Cremation (Early Bronze Age), Inhumation (Early Bronze Age), Food Vessel Urn (Early Bronze Age)
Alternative Name(s) South Waas, Roeberry
Canmore ID 9444
Site Number ND38NW 5
NGR ND 34057 89062
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/9444
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Walls And Flotta
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
Field Visit (16 June 1967)
Resurveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (NKB) 16 June 1967
Orkney Smr Note (August 1985)
As described. Cist in hollowed summit as described - three
sides discernable, the SW end not visible. Maximum height of
mound about 1.1m, diameter 13m.
Information from Orkney SMR (RGL) July 1985.
Field Visit (July 1985)
Cantick Head ND 3405 8906 ND38NW 5
Near the cliff-edge on the S side of Cantick Head is a grass-grown mound 13m in diameter and 1.1 m high, in the hollowed top of which are exposed three sideslabs of a cist 1.7m long and 1.1 m wide.
RCAHMS 1989, visited July 1985
(RCAHMS 1946, ii, p. 340, No. 1012; OR 1940).
Project (30 April 2007 - 4 May 2007)
ND 342 893 As part of an on-going landscape investigation project Orkney College Geophysics Unit was commissioned to undertake an extensive programme of geophysical survey across Cantick peninsula, South Walls, between 30 April–4 May 2007. A total of 5ha of gradiometer and 1.2ha of resistivity was completed over six separate areas across the peninsula, to cover the majority of the upstanding monuments. This included all differing types of sites to assist in the identification of unclear/ unknown site types, to allow for comparative study between similar sites, and to collect data to allow for a wider landscape interpretation to assist in gaining a better understanding of the archaeological development of the peninsula. The results clearly show the broch and associated settlement of Green Hill of Hestiegeo broch (ND38NW 8), while the settlement to the E is obscured by the presence of an igneous dyke. The Outer Green Hill broch (ND38NW 9) mound is certainly artificial but does not now look like a broch. The anomalies indicate midden and structures but they are rectilinear in form. Cantick Farm burnt mound (ND38NW 4) shows up well as a very high magnetic and high resistance anomaly with potentially associated structural elements surviving around it. The Bronze Age barrow (ND38NW 5) at Roeberry is clearly visible with both techniques, while the three earthen dykes to its W do not show up well in either the gradiometer or the resistivity results. Unfortunately the results of the survey of the potential prehistoric mounds at
Storehouse and the group at the Ruff of Cantick (ND38NW 17; ND38NW 18; ND38NW 19; ND38NW 16) was inconclusive, with Storehouse having a mix of possible prehistoric and modern origins.
Reports to be deposited with the Orkney SMR and RCAHMS.
Funder: Orkney Islands Council
J Robertson 2007
Resistivity (30 April 2007 - 4 May 2007)
ND 342 893 As part of an on-going landscape investigation project Orkney College Geophysics Unit was commissioned to undertake an extensive programme of geophysical survey across Cantick peninsula, South Walls, between 30 April–4 May 2007. A total of 1.2ha of resistivity was completed over six separate areas across the peninsula, to cover the majority of the upstanding monuments.
Reports to be deposited with the Orkney SMR and RCAHMS.
Funder: Orkney Islands Council
J Robertson 2007
Magnetometry (30 April 2007 - 4 May 2007)
ND 342 893 As part of an on-going landscape investigation project Orkney College Geophysics Unit was commissioned to undertake an extensive programme of geophysical survey across Cantick peninsula, South Walls, between 30 April–4 May 2007. A total of 5ha of gradiometry was completed over six separate areas across the peninsula, to cover the majority of the upstanding monuments.
Reports to be deposited with the Orkney SMR and RCAHMS.
Funder: Orkney Islands Council
J Robertson 2007
Excavation (15 June 2009 - 26 June 2009)
ND 3405 8905 Excavation on Cantick Head was undertaken, 15–26 June 2009, as part of an ongoing research project into the landscapes of Hoy and Walls. The aim was to investigate a barrow (ND38NW 5) to gain insights into the Bronze Age funerary landscape of the peninsula and to establish if adjacent dykes (ND38NW 6) were related to the barrow. A geophysical survey had shown anomalies within the mound and to the NW (Robertson 2007). The mound was badly damaged by antiquarian excavations although it remains a prominent feature in the landscape. The three grass-covered dykes c2–4.5m wide are located downslope to the E of the barrow. Two run broadly parallel (c20m apart) from the cliff top for c85m with a diagonal dyke linking them. The area
has escaped modern ploughing and the earthworks remain relatively well preserved.
The barrow (c11.5 x 1.2m) was investigated in two opposing quadrants. The turf, slumped material and spoil
from the previous excavation were removed revealing a complex of central cists (not excavated this season) and a secondary box cist (c0.8 x 0.5 x 0.54m internally) of more typical Bronze Age type. This was the only cist to be investigated and contained a disturbed cremation burial and un-burnt human bone. The original stone-built mound c7.5m in diameter was surrounded by a circular stone retaining wall. The mound was later refurbished externally with a square shaped retaining wall which increased the diameter to c8.5m. This secondary external wall was on the same E–W alignment as a large internal rectangular stone built cist (1.45 x 0.85m internally) that appears to have been inserted into the original mound. The cist and square wall are probably contemporary and form a marked change in barrow architecture. The cist had been disturbed and the
loose stony layers above contained un-burnt adult human bone and the remains of a neonate. The neonate burial was badly disturbed (with some bones also turning up in the cremation cist) but some skull fragments were apparently in situ above the rectangular cist. This burial could represent a later insertion into the top of the mound. The un-burnt bone found in the excavated cist is likely to derive from mixed antiquarian backfill.
Three small trenches were excavated across the linear dykes. They were found to be constructed of turf. The
turfs had been laid grass side down and individual turf lines were visible. The dykes overlay the subsoil and do
not appear to be prehistoric sub-peat dykes as previously suggested (ND38NW 6). Test pits were used to investigate the geophysical anomaly to the NW, a platform to the NE and a quarry on the cliff top to the S of the mound. The former two sites were found to be modern in origin and the quarry (6.5 x 3m), complete with tool marks, may have been the source of stone for the original burial mound. It is possible that the square barrow phase dates to the Pictish period when squared burial cairns were constructed in both mainland Scotland and Orkney. However, the style of architecture displayed in the wall and cist, suggest (at this stage) that they represent a complex prehistoric burial sequence that probably dates to the late Neolithic and Bronze Age.
The project was run in conjunction with a community training project funded by the Scapa Flow Landscape
Partnership (HLF). Local trainees formed part of the excavation team and were trained in field techniques.
Archive: ORCA
Funder: Orkney Islands Council, Scapa Flow Landscape Partnership (HLF) and ORCA
Daniel Lee – ORCA
Excavation (14 June 2010 - 25 June 2010)
ND 3405 8905 Excavations from 14–25 June 2010 at Roeberry Barrow (ND38NW 5) continued investigations into the Bronze Age funerary landscape on the peninsula. Last season the large burial mound (c11.5m wide by 1.2m high) was found to contain a complex of central cists set
in a sub-circular stone constructed mound. This indicated that the mound had a considerable history of burials along with several phases of structural refurbishment. The most striking of these was when a square outer retaining wall was constructed onto the earlier sub-circular retaining
wall, effectively creating a square barrow. The central cists contained the remains of cremation burials; however, there was also evidence for inhumation burials. All the burials had been disturbed by antiquarian activity, but the cist burials would appear to date to the Bronze Age. A decorated rim sherd from a Bronze Age Food Vessel was also recovered
from the material to the rear of the later revetment wall. The square barrow refurbishment could be Pictish following a burial tradition found in northern Scotland. This season’s excavations found that the earlier outer
walls consisted of two parallel dry stone built retaining walls forming a large sub-circular structure c10m in diameter. The glacial till had been stripped prior to construction and a slight platform was scalped out of the clay. A thin greyish layer of clay found directly below the walls could represent some form of pre-cairn preparation layer. Extension of the
two trench quadrants revealed that the area around the mound consisted of glacial till overlain by slumped stony material from the mound. A single oval pit (0.56 x 0.51 x 0.17m) c3m to the NW of the outer retaining wall cut into the glacial till was found to be sterile apart from a single rounded slab.
A large rectangular box cist (1.45 x 0.85 x 0.49m) in the SW part of the upper mound was found to contain loose backfill material from antiquarian activity. A cremation burial found in the base was disturbed and pushed to the corners and was overlain with otter sprait. It appears that the cist was open and used as an otter holt before it was disturbed and backfilled by antiquarians. It would appear that this cist represents a Bronze Age insertion rather than a later inhumation burial as suggested in 2009.
Excavations in the central area demonstrated that the central cist complex of upright slabs was constructed onto fill material. It is possible that some of these slabs formed a cist for an inhumation burial (perhaps Pictish), but these were not fully exposed and require more investigation. A very large upright slab below the loose material in the western part of the central area appeared to have been broken, perhaps deliberately, during later refurbishment of the mound. This orthostat sat in a large central hollow
in the stone constructed core of the mound that may have been lined with walling or upright slabs, since removed. Undisturbed deposits were encountered in the base of the hollow. It is possible that the central part of the mound may have contained burial related structures that were dismantled during later phases of refurbishment. This may have consisted of a large cist or a central burial chamber perhaps dating to the Neolithic. Some human remains were recovered from the upper hollow fill that probably derive from a disturbed inhumation burial; however, none were
encountered in the lower central area. This could suggest that any central burials have been removed or they could remain undisturbed. The central area was not fully excavated. The possibility that the mound started life as a Neolithic burial monument that was later reused in the Bronze Age and the early medieval period highlights considerable longevity of use and significance of place in the funerary practices of the communities in the Cantick area.
Archive: Currently with ORCA
Funder: Orkney Islands Council, Scapa Flow Landscape
Partnership (HLF) and ORCA
Excavation (20 June 2011 - 30 June 2011)
ND 3405 8905 Excavations from 20–30 June 2011 concluded work on this large (c11.5m wide by 1.2m high) burial mound. The established trench was extended to the E, to further investigate the partly excavated central stone-lined cist, and to expose the edge of the large central area to the N that was defined by substantial orthostats. This rubble-filled depression was previously thought to represent a large disturbed central cist.
Excavations this season revealed that the first phase of the monument consisted of a small stalled Neolithic tomb measuring c3 x 2m internally with six large orthostats forming two opposing pairs of stalls. The tomb was aligned NE–SW with an entrance to the NE (unexcavated). The concentric external stone revetment walls exposed during previous seasons formed the outside of the tomb (c10m in diameter). The large central depression that was partly excavated last season (DES 2010, 132–3) turned out to be the robbed remains of the NW cell, although the inner wall had been removed. The tomb was not fully excavated, this stall was the only part to be investigated to floor level, and no human remains were recovered. A possible posthole was discovered below the robbed internal wall line, perhaps representing a construction marker, and charcoal was recovered for dating. Several cists were inserted into the mound when the Neolithic tomb was backfilled. The cists contained cremation burials and probably date to the Bronze Age. A third cist (c0.80 x 0.49 x 0.62m), which had been inserted into the top of the backfilled tomb entrance, was discovered this season. The cist had previously been disturbed and there was no evidence of a cremation burial. Unburnt human bone was found within the loose backfill, but this could have been incorporated during disturbance.
The key discovery this season was the remains of an inhumation burial in the central cist. This relates to the substantial stone constructed square barrow that was built into the mound (DES 2009, 2010). The insertion of this cist involved removing and breaking several large orthostats and cutting into the backfilled Neolithic tomb. The central inhumation had been disturbed, most likely by antiquarians, and only the hands and feet remained in situ. The body was crouched and laid on the left side. The remains of a ?juvenile inhumation, also crouched and placed on the left side, was found outside the central cist to the NE, within a layer of rubble. The unburnt human bone found across the mound, especially in the N cist and around the central cist, was probably derived from these disturbed burials. The remains of the neonate burials found in 2009 to the SW of the central cist could also date to this phase (DES 2009, 141–2). These burial rites and the square barrow architecture suggest that this phase of the monument dates to the Iron Age and possibly the first few centuries AD. The 2011 excavations have confirmed the long history of construction and burial at Roeberry Barrow from the Neolithic to Iron Age, and portray the monument as a significant place for the communities at Cantick for several millennia.
Archive: ORCA (currently)
Funder: Orkney Islands Council, Scapa Flow Landscape Partnership (HLF) and ORCA
ORCA, 2011
Note (2020)
Cantick Head
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: 60005
CANMORE ID: 9444
Total no. graves with grave goods: 1
Total no. people with grave goods: 2
Total no. grave goods: 1
Prehistoric Grave Goods project Grave ID: 72313
Grave type: Cist
Burial type(s): Cremation, Inhumation
Grave good: Pot
Materials used: Pottery
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/
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