31547: LSFH 5.9 Cleit Ard – CAIRN

Summary:

CAIRN (Early Prehistoric – 500000 BC to 4001 BC)
KERB CAIRN (Early Prehistoric – 500000 BC to 4001 BC)
Kerbed cairn

Location:

NB 29212 17976

Full description:

"Located on a spur on the northern slopes of Cleit Ard this kerbed cairn measures 4.5 metres from north to south, 3 metres from west to east and stands no more than 0.3 metres high. It has a prominent stone kerb on its south-east and nothern sides, but is heavily eroded on its west side where aeolian, fluvial and mammalian activity have reduced the ground surface to the stone regolith and till that underlies the thin peat soil. This cairn overlooks Loch na Craoibhe and has views to the north and west as far as the stone settings at Cnoc nan Clach (5.1 and 5.2) and in the distance Acha Mhor. It is located 1000 metres to the west of the kerbed cairn on the northern slopes of Beinn Lobheir (5.8) and is intervisible with that site." Part of a ritual landscape. "Including the stone circle and setting on Cnoc nan Clach and the standing stone at Sildonis (NB21NE04) this landscape seems to dominate the slopes above the south-western end of the sea loch – Loch Erisort. Other elements might include the spring or well (5.4) located in the valley immediately to the west of Cnoc nan Clach and the chambered cairn located ca 1000 metres to the south of the burn that runs past its west side (5.5)." (Burgess 2004, 32-33 and 21)

References:

Chris Burgess, Northamptonshire Archaeology. 2004. Northamptonshire Archaeology Archaeological Survey and Evaluation of Eilean Chalium Chille and the Putative Site of the Seaforth Head Castle. Part No Loch Seaforth Head Gazeteer.

Acknowledgement:

Information provided by Western Isles Council Sites & Monuments Record, January 2006.