Burray

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Animal Burial(S) (Early Neolithic), Chambered Cairn (Neolithic), Cist(S) (Early Neolithic), Inhumation(S) (Early Neolithic)

Site Name Burray

Classification Animal Burial(S) (Early Neolithic), Chambered Cairn (Neolithic), Cist(S) (Early Neolithic), Inhumation(S) (Early Neolithic)

Canmore ID 9577

Site Number ND49NE 3

NGR ND 4887 9880

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/9577

Digital Images

Collections

Administrative Areas

Council Orkney Islands
Parish South Ronaldsay
Former Region Orkney Islands Area
Former District Orkney
Former County Orkney

Archaeology Notes

ND49NE 3 4887 9880.

(ND 4887 9882) An Orkney-Cromarty stalled cairn which has been entirely destroyed, stood in what is now cultivated land 100 yds W of the E broch of Burray (ND49NE 1) and was evidently of the short-horned variety with marked forecourts. There seems to have been a wall face surrounding the cairn which at the time of excavation stood 5-6ft high and was turfed over. The chamber, placed centrally with its main axis NNE-SSW was 14ft long by about 8ft wide and divided into three compartments by four pairs of transverse slabs. It is uncertain however, whether the whole extent was uncovered. The position of the entrance is uncertain, a structure to the E of the central compartment may represent it's inner end or may be a side-cell while on the other hand it may have been on the same axis as the chamber.

Remains of a large numbeer of unburnt human skeletons, domestic animals, including seven skeletons of dogs were found in the chamber. One dog skull is preserved in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS [EQ 62]).

A S Henshall 1963; RCAHMS 1946, visited 1929; J Anderson 1886

The site of this chambered cairn was pointed out on the ground by Mr J Taylor (Northfield) on a slight rise at ND 4883 9881.

Visited by OS (IMT) 18 May 1973

Short horned cairn of Orkney-Cromarty type with a possible stalled chamber.

J L Davidson and A S Henshall 1989

Activities

Desk Based Assessment (August 1997)

Coastal Assessment Survey of Burray, Flotta, Graemsay, Hoy and South Ronaldsay

A short-horned cairn of Orkney-Cromarty type was completely destroyed in 1863. It stood in what is now cultivated land 100 yards of the East Broch of Burray (see B19). The demolition of the cairn was observed by Petrie, who made field notes on its dimensions and structure (see Henshall, 1989, ORK 7, 106-7). It was turf-covered and measured c. 15m E-W by 13.5m N-S and stood up to 1.6m high. The N and S ends of the exterior were concave, the E and W sides only very slightly so. The chamber measured 4m long and about 2.4m wide with built side walls, a pair of transverse slabs at each end, and two more pairs of slabs dividing it into three compartments. It is uncertain whether the whole extent was uncovered. The remains of a large number of unburnt human skeletons, domestic animals, including seven skeletons of dogs, were found in the chamber. One dog skull is preserved in NMAS (EQ 62).

Moore and Wilson, 1997

Coastal Zone Assessment Survey

Note (2020)

Prehistoric Grave Goods Project

Burray

This burial site in Orkney Islands was a focus for funerary practices in the Neolithic period, between 4000 BC and 3301 BC.

Prehistoric Grave Goods project site ID: 60093

CANMORE ID: 9577

Total no. graves with grave goods: 4

Total no. people with grave goods: 13

Total no. grave goods: 8

Prehistoric Grave Goods project Grave ID: 74023

Grave type: Chamber

Burial type(s): Inhumation, Inhumation, Inhumation, Inhumation, Inhumation, Inhumation, Inhumation, Inhumation, Inhumation, Inhumation

Grave good: Animal Burial (Specified type)