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.

• Type

  Legal Documents

  Title

  SM10333_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600013619)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of a Bronze Age burial cairn, now sited on the south bank of the Crinan Canal at Cairnbaan.

The cairn sits on top of a natural rock outcrop. It measures approximately 8m in diameter and 2m in height, but the edges of the cairn merge with the edges of the natural knoll. A central stone cist has been exposed by excavations in the mid nineteenth century, which found charcoal, burnt bones and flint fragments.

Two carved stones were also found: a schist slab with pecked multiple lozenge motifs; and the cover slab of the cist, still in situ, which has a lightly incised 'fir tree' design on one edge and a cup mark on one face. The cist is sited centrally on top of the cairn, aligned with its long axis E-W, and measures 1.07m long by 0.4m wide and 0.4m deep.

The scheduled area is a circle 24m in diameter, centred on the middle of the cairn, to include the cairn and a surrounding area in which evidence relating to its construction and use may survive, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because, despite some limited excavation, it retains the potential to provide information about later Neolithic and Bronze Age ritual and funerary practices, and the physical remains are well defined. The monument forms part of a wider group of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in Kilmartin Glen, and is close to the cup-and-ring marked rocks in State Care at Cairnbaan. It therefore has the potential to contribute to a wider understanding of early prehistoric society in the area.

References

Bibliography

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.