Monument record 78 - CUITHACH'S GRAVE, LEWIS

NB03NW 4 0350 3643.

(Area: NB 035 363) 'Cuithachs Grave' - a stone alignment and possible hut-circle, lies on a grassy plateau 120' a.s.l. on the north side of Geodha Ruadh.
Two small pointed stones stand on a line NE-SW, 10'6' apart, the more southerly measuring 14' long, 12 ' thick and 17' high, the other 17' long, 13' thick and 12' high. About 14' NE on the same line is a prostrate stone 3'2' by 1'9' by 6', and 8'3' NNW of this is another also prostrate 4' by 1'11' by 9'.
To the north and west of the last two stones is a number of small boulders simulating the arc of a hut circle, which, if complete would be about 22' in diameter.
(Although RCAHMS give the name as 'Cuthachs Grave' without an apostrophe, it presumably refers to the same Cuithach as 'Dun Cuithach (NB03SE1) a mythological giant, who, after oppressing the country, was slain by the Fians).
RCAHMS 1928, visited 1914.

A natural setting of stones at NB 0350 3643, although the two upright stones may be associated with an old field wall to the east. Not an antiquity.
Visited by OS (R L) 1 July 1969.

55: NB 0348 3642
Burial
situated immediately above west facing sea cliffs is a burial marked by a 0.3m headstone and footstone. This burial is about 2m long and set back from the cliffs by about 2m.
Burgess & Church 1996, 34

To the N of Loch Ruadh Guinnerson an extension of a small 1 x 1m test-pit in the Giant's Graves feature indicated that a curvilinear enclosure was related to the eastern orthostat previously thought to be a grave marker. Within this enclosure was a tumble of large and medium-sized stones interspersed with deposits of burnt material. One of these included a large pice of charcoal from a roundwood (originally mistaken for a burnt stake) and pieces of burnt turf. This enclosure was built into an earlier, rectlinear structure incorporating low but thick 'walls' of large flat stones sitting on a laid paving. In the middle of this structure an area relatively clear of stone was covered by a very black burnt soil horizon incorporating patches of peat ash, two tiny and very degraded pieces of pottery and a single piece of very degraded bone. Initial interpretation of this enigmatic site as a possible funerary monument will be tested in the light of further post-excavation analysis.
Sponsors: HS, Russel 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, 106-7

RCAHMS, 1928, The RCAHMCS 9th Report & Inventory: Outer Hebrides, Skye and the Small Isles, 21, No. 74; 22-3, No. 81 (Bibliographic reference). SWE5587.

Christopher Burgess and Michael Church, 1996, Uig Landscape Survey: Interim Report 1 (Unpublished document). SWE41181.

Burgess, Christopher & Church, Michael, 1997, Coastal Erosion Assessment, Lewis. A Report for Historic Scotland (Bibliographic reference). SWE41000.

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