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Acharn
Cairn (Period Unassigned), Cremation(S) (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Acharn
Classification Cairn (Period Unassigned), Cremation(S) (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Acharn Bridge; Black Water; Abhainn A' Ghlinne Gail
Canmore ID 22682
Site Number NM75SW 2
NGR NM 7022 5048
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/22682
- Council Highland
- Parish Morvern
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Lochaber
- Former County Argyll
NM75SW 2 7022 5048
(NM 7022 5048) A cairn is situated 210m NE of Acharn, on the highest part of the promontory that lies in the angle formed by the junction of the Black Water and the Abhainn a' Ghlinne Gail. It has been heavily robbed, and now appears as a low, roughly circular mound, 9.9m by 9.4m in diameter, which stands to a height of about 0.25m; several kerb-stones are visible in the NW half as shown on the plan. In 1974 a pit was discovered some 3m to the E of the cairn; it contained a cremation burial, a calcined bone toggle or pin-head, a smoothed stone and several unworked flint flakes. A radiocarbon date of 1314 bc + 55 was obtained from an analysis of the accompanying charcoal. Whay may have been a second outlying cremation deposit was discovered at the same time 4.5m SW of the cairn. The finds were donated to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS).
J N G Ritchie and I Thornber 1977; RCAHMS 1980, visited 1974.
Scheduled as Acharn Bridge, kerb-cairn.
Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 17 January 2001.
Project (26 November 2012 - 6 December 2012)
NM 67793 50808 A desk-based assessment, walkover survey, geophysical survey and excavation of the Loch Arienas kerb cairn and environs were undertaken, 26 November – 6 December 2012. Kerb cairns at Claggan (NM64NE 7) and Acharn (NM75SW 2) are c3.5km to the SE of the site. The work aimed to enhance management of the cultural heritage resource in the Morvern forest block and answer research questions relating to the kerb cairn site.
The desk-based assessment indicated that the known sites in the area are dominated by post-medieval remains, including the cleared Allt An Aoinidh Mhor township (NM65SE 1). This pattern was confirmed by the walkover survey, which located the majority of known sites and recorded 19 new sites, including additional post-medieval structural remains and boundaries, and an Iron Age dun (NM 69019 47695).
Results of the geophysical survey (earth resistance and magnetometer) undertaken in the area around the kerb cairn indicated several potential archaeological anomalies; however, four test pits demonstrated that these were derived from the natural geology. The sub-circular kerb cairn, situated in a small area of ancient woodland, consisted of an outer wall (2.6m in diameter) built from irregular granulite blocks with a narrow 0.47m wide entrance to the SE. Two shallow internal pits were sterile apart from occasional wood charcoal. Root disturbance was apparent throughout. Externally, a layer of rubble containing worked quartz continued below the cairn wall. The monument was not associated with cremation burials or pyres (typical of kerb cairns) and does not appear to have been associated with funerary practices. Typologically, and due to the presence of worked quartz, the kerb cairn is likely to be Bronze Age in date. However, there is a possibility it could be post-medieval and relate to woodland management practices.
Archive: ORCA
Funder: Forestry Commission Scotland
Daniel Lee, ORCA and Matt Ritchie, Forestry Commission Scotland, 2013
(Source: DES)
Resistivity (26 November 2012 - 6 December 2012)
NM 67793 50808 Resistivity survey.
Archive: ORCA
Funder: Forestry Commission Scotland
Daniel Lee, ORCA and Matt Ritchie, Forestry Commission Scotland, 2013
(Source: DES)
Magnetometry (26 November 2012 - 6 December 2012)
NM 67793 50808 Magnetometry survey.
Archive: ORCA
Funder: Forestry Commission Scotland
Daniel Lee, ORCA and Matt Ritchie, Forestry Commission Scotland, 2013
(Source: DES)
