Description

The monument consists of two burial cairns dating from the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age (around 3500- 2500 BC). The cairns are located on the southeast slope of Struie Hill at 75m and 85m above sea level and have open views to the Dornoch Firth.

The northern cairn survives as a mound of loose stones measuring approximately 21m in maximum diameter. The southern edge of the cairn is marked by at least two kerb stones which appear to be in-situ. The largest kerb stone measures approximately 0.8m in height. The second cairn is located 120m to the south, and survives as a mound of earth and stone measuring approximately 17m in maximum diameter and up to 1.3m in height. In the centre of this cairn there is an orthostat marking the likely position of a central chamber. At the southeast extent of the cairn another orthostat, measuring 1m by 0.4m and standing 0.6m high, may indicate the remains of the cairn passage.

The scheduled area comprises two parts: a circular area centred on the northern cairn measuring 40m in diameter and a circular area centred on the southern cairn measuring 43m in diameter. The scheduling includes 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. The post and wire fence is excluded from the scheduling. The monument was first scheduled in 1964, but the documentation does not meet current standards: the present amendment rectifies this.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because of its potential to make a significant addition to knowledge and understanding of the past, particularly the design and construction of prehistoric burial monuments during the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age. Chambered cairns are often our main source of evidence for the Neolithic in Scotland, and can enhance our understanding of Neolithic society and economy, and as well as the nature of burial practices and belief systems. These cairns continue to be visible as upstanding field monuments and have good field characteristics with significant potential for the presence of buried archaeological remains. This evidence allows us to interpret their form, function and position in the landscape. The cairns are part of a group late Neolithic and early Bronze Age burial monuments in the Struie Hill to Dornoch Firth coastal area and represent important surviving components of what would have been a wider prehistoric landscape of settlement, agriculture and ritual. The loss of the monument would significantly diminish our future ability to appreciate and understand funerary practice, death and burial in prehistory, and the placing of cairns within the landscape.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

Historic Environment Scotland http://www.canmore.org.uk reference number CANMORE IDs 13860 and 13861 (accessed on 04/05/2016).

Highland Council HER References: MHG 8076 and 8075.

Canmore

https://canmore.org.uk/site/13860/
https://canmore.org.uk/site/13861/

HER/SMR Reference

http://her.highland.gov.uk/SingleResult.aspx?uid=MHG8076
http://her.highland.gov.uk/SingleResult.aspx?uid=MHG8075

Source: Historic Environment Scotland