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Horsbrugh Castle Farm
Cist (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Horsbrugh Castle Farm
Classification Cist (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 51258
Site Number NT23NE 29
NGR NT 2899 3902
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/51258
- Council Scottish Borders, The
- Parish Innerleithen
- Former Region Borders
- Former District Tweeddale
- Former County Peebles-shire
NT23NE 29 2899 3902.
NT 2899 3902. A short cist, forming an obstruction to ploughing, was reported to the NMAS on 5th March 1974, and was excavated by the writers on 6th to 8th March 1974. It occupied a sub-oval pit dug into the summit of a natural gravel knoll, 500 ft O D, 100 m N of the River Tweed. There was no sign of any artificial cairn or mound.
The cist measured internally 1.05 m by 0.6 m and 0.5 m deep. The arrangement of its stones was shown on plan; it was covered by two heavy capstones, one of which was removed by the farmer prior to the excavation, otherwise, it was undisturbed. On its floor lay the remains of the crouched inhumation of a ? male, about 18 years old, apparently interred in a skeletonised or partly skeletonised state, accompanied by a flint knife.
Two further burials, both cremations, were found in the excavated area. Cremation 1 (of a 30 - 40 years old ? female) occupied a circular pit 0.6 m across by 0.2 m deep, cut partly into the gravel subsoil and partly into the upper fill of the cist pit. A small potsherd was found with the cremation, which had a small flat stone embedded in its top. Cremation 2 (containing the remains of two persons, a child, about 6 years old and an adult) was in a deposit of soil banked up against the outer side of the W capstone, occupying the space between it and a small stone slab, propped upright against the side of the cist pit. A burnt fragment of unworked antler tine was found with it.
The excavators conclude that the four individuals buried at this site can be assumed to have died at different times, but their subsequent burial is likely to have occurred collectively or near collectively over the space of several days or weeks.
The S and W slabs of the cist were too heavy to lift out of the cist pit, but the other stones were removed. The material found was donated to the NMAS, except for the cremations, which have been deposited in the Dept of Physical Anthropology, Cambridge University.
F F Petersen, I A G Shepherd and A N Tuckwell 1975
Excavation (6 March 1974 - 8 March 1974)
NT23NE 29 2899 3902.
NT 2899 3902. A short cist, forming an obstruction to ploughing, was reported to the NMAS on 5th March 1974, and was excavated by the writers on 6th to 8th March 1974. It occupied a sub-oval pit dug into the summit of a natural gravel knoll, 500 ft O D, 100 m N of the River Tweed. There was no sign of any artificial cairn or mound.
The cist measured internally 1.05 m by 0.6 m and 0.5 m deep. The arrangement of its stones was shown on plan; it was covered by two heavy capstones, one of which was removed by the farmer prior to the excavation, otherwise, it was undisturbed. On its floor lay the remains of the crouched inhumation of a ? male, about 18 years old, apparently interred in a skeletonised or partly skeletonised state, accompanied by a flint knife.
Two further burials, both cremations, were found in the excavated area. Cremation 1 (of a 30 - 40 years old ? female) occupied a circular pit 0.6 m across by 0.2 m deep, cut partly into the gravel subsoil and partly into the upper fill of the cist pit. A small potsherd was found with the cremation, which had a small flat stone embedded in its top. Cremation 2 (containing the remains of two persons, a child, about 6 years old and an adult) was in a deposit of soil banked up against the outer side of the W capstone, occupying the space between it and a small stone slab, propped upright against the side of the cist pit. A burnt fragment of unworked antler tine was found with it.
The excavators conclude that the four individuals buried at this site can be assumed to have died at different times, but their subsequent burial is likely to have occurred collectively or near collectively over the space of several days or weeks.
The S and W slabs of the cist were too heavy to lift out of the cist pit, but the other stones were removed. The material found was donated to the NMAS, except for the cremations, which have been deposited in the Dept of Physical Anthropology, Cambridge University.
F F Petersen, I A G Shepherd and A N Tuckwell 1975
Sbc Note
Visibility: This site has been excavated.
Information from Scottish Borders Council
