Scheduled Monument

Acharn, cairns 350m WNW ofSM7793

Status: Designated

Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

Summary

Date Added
17/01/2001
Type
Prehistoric ritual and funerary: cairn (type uncertain)
Local Authority
Highland
Parish
Morvern
NGR
NM 69820 50585
Coordinates
169820, 750585

Description

The monument comprises a group of four cairns of prehistoric date.

The monument lies on a low terrace near the foot of Loch Arienas, at around 20m OD. It consists of four cairns, the largest of which measures about 14m in diameter and stands to a height of about 0.6m. There are a number of kerb-stones visible at the perimeter of this cairn, which was partly excavated in 1977.

Lying some 5m to the N is a second cairn, measuring about 7m in diameter and standing to a height of about 0.2m. About 30m to the SSE of the first cairn is a third cairn, measuring about 7m in diameter and about 0.4m high. The fourth cairn in the group stands about 30m to the S of the third. It measures about 4m in diameter and some 0.6m high.

Cairns of this type are funerary monuments dating to the Bronze Age, and may be expected to contain material relating to their mode of construction and use.

The area proposed for scheduling comprises the cairns and an area around them within which related material may be expected to be found. It is a circle 80m in diameter, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to contribute to an understanding of prehistoric funerary and ritual practices. Its importance is increased by its proximity to other monuments of potentially contemporary date.

References

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NM 65 SE 5.

References:

PSAS (1977) 'Donations to and purchases for the Museum and Library', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, Vol. 106, 18-19.

RCAHMS (1980) The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Argyll: an inventory of the monuments volume 3: Mull, Tiree, Coll and Northern Argyll (excluding the early medieval and later monuments of Iona), 49-50, nos. 7 (3-5), Edinburgh.

Ritchie, J. N. G. and Thornber, I. (1989) 'Cairn 3, Acharn, Morvern, Argyll', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, Vol. 118 fiche 2: F1-11, 95-8.

Thornber, I. (1974) 'Acharn, cairn, flint/scraper, cairn, cairns', Discovery Excav Scot, 20.

About Scheduled Monuments

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

Find out more about scheduling and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

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Printed: 27/04/2024 05:20