Round cairns N of Tick Law

Summary

Two round cairns, 655m and 882m SSW of Blawearie.

Reasons for Designation

Round cairns are prehistoric funerary monuments dating to the Bronze Age (c.2000-700 BC). They were constructed as stone mounds covering single or multiple burials. These burials may be placed within the mound in stone-lined compartments called cists. In some cases the cairn was surrounded by a ditch. Often occupying prominent locations, cairns are a major visual element in the modern landscape. They are a relatively common feature of the uplands and are the stone equivalent of the earthen round barrows of the lowlands. Their considerable variation in form and longevity as a monument type provide important information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisation amongst early prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of protection.

The two round cairns, 655m and 882m SSW of Blawearie are reasonably well-preserved and are highly representative of their period. The presence of upstanding remains indicates that the monument will contain archaeological deposits relating to its construction and use. The presence of a covered cist indicates that these will include below ground funerary deposits and comparison with other similar sites suggest that they may also include evidence of earlier funerary structures such as stake-holes or the remains of prior treatment of the ground surface such as ard marks.

History

See Details.

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 31 May 2016. This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

The monument includes the remains of two round cairns of Bronze Age date, situated on a north west-south east ridge-top stretching northwards from Tick Law. The southerly cairn (NU0810 2158), which measures approximately 7.6m in diameter and 0.4m in height, has evidence of kerbstones and a depression in its centre that has revealed a stone cist cover stone. To the north west is a second cairn (NU0825 2176) measuring approximately 7.6m in diameter with a height of up to 1.1m. The presence of kerbstones, a cist cover and the similarity between the two suggests them both to be funerary structures.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

ND 482

Legacy System:

RSM - OCN

Sources

Other
PastScape Monument No:- 5758

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