Description

The monument is a round cairn, a burial monument likely to date to the Bronze Age (second millennium BC). It is visible as a substantial mound of bare stones, measuring approximately 30m in diameter and standing at least 4.5m high. Stones abutting the base of the cairn give the appearance of a platform. The monument is situated on a prominent ridge at a height of 170m OD, on a S-facing slope overlooking the Water of Feugh.

The scheduled area is a circle on plan, centred on the centre of the cairn and measuring 50m in diameter, to include the remains described above and an area around them within which evidence relating to the monument's construction, use and abandonment is expected to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance as an extremely well-preserved Bronze Age burial cairn with considerable potential to make a significant addition to our understanding of early prehistoric burial monuments and funerary practices. Ritual and funerary monuments such as this provide the main material evidence for Bronze Age society in Scotland. This monument is particularly important as it shows no sign of previous disturbance and is highly likely to preserve one or more burials or cremations, together with associated grave goods. The significance of Bucharn cairn is enhanced by its visual relationship with a similar round cairn at Ardlair, only about 1km to the NE. Our understanding of the distribution, nature and character of prehistoric burial monuments and their place in the landscape would be diminished if this monument was to be lost or damaged.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

Shepherd, I A G 1986, Exploring Scotland's Heritage: Grampian, Exploring Scotland's Heritage series, Edinburgh: HMSO, 143.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland