Monument record 11816 - LEWIS, GUINNERSO

NB03NW 15 0336 3615

NB 0350 3631 (centre) Excavations continued on the main site (NMRS NB 03 NW 6) just S of Loch Ruadh Guinnerso (NB 0342 3617) and the 'Giant's Graves' feature to the N (NB 0348 3642). New trenches were also opened to the W of the main site on a possible building structure associated with a field wall (NB 0335 3615).

Excavations to the W of the main site were focused on a possible rectangular building lying at the end of a rough drystone boundary wall. It became apparent that no building lay in this area but that the western edge of the trenches had clipped a possible cairn with well-laid platforms extending from its E side. The cairn, constructed of small to medium-sized angular stone laid on a bed of horizontal flags, included a large orthostat marking an empty internal area and/or the forecourt features. Unfortunately, the cairn seems to have been severely slighted by the later construction of a large stone platform feature on top. This was only partially investigated due to time constraints. Deposits which seemed to be associated with the underlying cairn and its small exterior platform areas produced a large assemblage of struck quartz including diagnostic tools such as broken blades. These deposits also produced a small assemblage of coarse pottery, a few sherds of which are decorated with several deep gashes. The quality of the pottery and the large quartz assemblage hint at a possible Bronze Age date for this cairn feature, with the platform built second, and the rough boundary wall placed last, but still respecting the earlier site.
Sponsors:
Historic Scotland, Russell Trust, University of Edinburgh - Dept of Archaeology, Ian Geering - Uig and Hamnaway Estate, University of Edinburgh Development Trust, Abercromby Travel Fund.
M Church and S Gilmour 1998, 107

REPORT DATE: 23/02/2005

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