Tres Ness Stalled Cairn excavation, week 43D Model
Tres Ness Stalled Cairn Excavation. Week 4 - 21 August 2019
The excavations at this early Neolithic (5500 year old) tomb are in their final week. A huge quantity of stone from the systematic dismantling of the roof in the late Neolithic has been removed, including many large stone lintels that provide an insight into how this building was roofed.
The stone structure has been revealed in its full glory - standing over 1.6m high. Black ‘greasy’ floor deposits have also been uncovered. These are rich in charcoal, peat ash, flint tools and sherds of pottery.
The north of end of the tomb features stone setting and deposits of beach cobbles. The removal of one of these setting revealed a token deposit of human bone set against the threshold stone to the end compartment.
The excavations have now been backfilled and further discoveries will have to wait for the 2020 excavation season.
Directors: Prof Vicki Cummings (University of Central Lancashire) & Dr Hugo Anderson-Whymark (National Museums Scotland)
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