Monument record 6864 - An Corran, Boreray

Middle Iron Age cist cemetery, two cists excavated by ARCUS (Sheffield) in 1998. The cemetery is within a settlement mound, showing both earlier and later structural remains.

NF 8576 8051 In 1996 cist-like structures containing human remains had been reported as being exposed in a cliff section of An Corran. Archaeological recording and excavation of remains exposed in the cliff face of this uninhabited island took place in October-November 1997. At least three cist-like structures were recorded, as well as a small corbelled structure and a house which lies at a lower level in the cliff face.
A gridded surface collection of bone and artefacts scattered at the foot of the cliff was undertaken. Two cists and the small corbelled structure, identified as being at greatest risk of erosion, were excavated. The two cists each contained the well-preserved remains of an adult male. One of these was a contracted inhumation in a small cist, and the other lay in a flexed position in a long cist.
Most of the fill of the small corbelled structure had been eroded, but within the surviving lower deposits were animal bones (young cattle). A pit cut into the deposits and capped with a stone contained the remains of (probably one) calf. The burials and corbelled structure may be Iron Age.
An interim report has been lodged with the NMRS.
Sponsor: HS

Downes and Badcock 1998, 100

Council for Scottish Archaeology, 1998, Discovery and Excavation in Scotland (Bibliographic reference). SWE41173.

Jane Downes & Anna Badcock, 1998, Rescue Excavation of Cists and Structures at An Corran, Boreray, North Uist (Bibliographic reference). SWE41071.