VIII.

RE-EXCAVATION OF THE CHAMBERED OF QUOYNESS, SANDAY, ON BEHALF OF THE MINISTRY OF WORKS IN 1951-2.

BY PROFESSOR V. GORDON CHILDE, D.LITT., D.Sc., F.B.A., F.S.A.ScoT.

cairne Th , erroneously calle e Brocdth f Quoynesho e transfeth y b sf o r propes it r name, Augmond's (Egmond's) Howadjacene th o et t fortified site, stands on the E. side of the promontory of Els Ness, right on the shore. The cairn is built on a flat platform that rises now 2 to 3 ft. above a level trac f grass-growo t n foreshore that passe . intE e shingl oth e s th ove en o r oa storf mtidw beachelo t incline A d Sandston. Re dd e bedOl ar ef o s exposed beyond and below the shingle, but a high spring tide might lap the skirts of the platform. The platform is correctly described in the New Statistical Account by Dr Wood, who says that its edge was "formed by stone t uprightse s " (N.S.A., ignores , wa 136) latet xv y db bu , r writers till the visit of the Royal Commission. The chamber was cleared out in 1867 by Farrer, who thought the cairn was a but recognised two retaining walls featura , e just discovere Neolithin di c cairn Andersoy sb Caithnessn i . The relics recovered reache Nationae dth l Museum skulle th , s were seno t t Thurna Londonmn i remainine th t ,bu g bones were unceremoniously dumped 122 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , 1951-52. RE-EXCAVATION OF CHAMBERED CAIRN OF QUOYNESS. 123

back where they had been found. A far from accurate plan was prepared by Dryden and published by Anderson in in Pagan Times; it shows retainino tw e th g wall s expose sa e surfac e mounth th n f do o e d (together wit e entrance) hthira th t d a implie d an , s their destructio NW.e th n no Before leavin e islang th excavato e dth r gave instruction preservae th r sfo - possibles a fac n r i walle quita fa ttiod th s f sa an n,o e unnecessary wooden e chamberth n i p u , furthet shorinpu s r gwa disturbin e th e floor d gth an , bones redeposited upon it. But when I visited the site in 1929 I found the chamber intact indeed but partially open and choked with rubbish, a gash of naked stones over the line of the entrance passage, a similar but grass- grown gap on the NNE. which must be due to earlier disturbance, since Dryden's plan show breace walle sth th sn hi tha t producedi t sundrd an , y heaps of stones on the west, attributable either to efforts to trace the outer o quarryint •wal r o l e buildin r stone usee th e Elsnesgfo b th n di o f t sg o s shore-dyke that runs across the western edge of the platform. The latter operatio presumabls nwa y responsibl disappearance th r efo e f moseth o f o t upright slabs mentione r WoodD roay A db . d acros platfore sth e th n mo E. had further disturbed its edges. So I persuaded the late Mr Irvine, then owner of Elsness Farm, to place the monument under the guardianship of e Ministrth f Worksyo Juln I Augusd . y an privilege th t d 195f ha eo 1 I superintendin preparatore gth y operations undertake Ministre th y nr b yfo clearine chamberth t gou , determinin e monumene limitth gth f o s d an t deciding how most faithfully to preserve its original form. To the latter end two sections were cut right across the platform: (I) along the main axis of the chamber on the SSW., and (II) at right angles to a straight section of outee th line f reo Th retainin . NE outee s ge th th walwa r n walB o l B l traced on the S. and E.; the edges of the bank on the SW. and N. were deturfed exposin o "horgtw n . havinworks,SW ge th "bee n noted from superficial indications by Mr Cruden; a cut into the grassy gap on the NNE. (Section III) expose lowee dth r course innee th f rso retaining wal , wherA l e the gap occurs on Dryden's plan. Section III, however, revealed further features—particularly the stump of a retaining "wall A' that had been confuses i missed an SectiondI n dI i witd an h Dryden'sI waln i B l s plan— which necessitate dretura site thre r th efo o net week July-Augusn si t 1952. The nfurthea r segmen furthea n i t walf . o cu tr W exposels e Awa 'th n do (Sectiosubsequentld an ) nIV y trace . quadrant l roune SE dal th e t dth A . same time the platform was stripped of turf, allowing many new uprights identifiestructure e edgb e th th o f t eo d dan e accurately planned. NowQuoynes finese th s sti chambered cairn unde Ministry'e rth s guardian- ship after Maes Howe d exhibitan , s significant similaritie e latterth o t s, wher Royae eth l Commissioners expect well-built retaining walls beloe wth turf. As we recovered fuller details about the construction of the cairn than are available anywhere else, it will be worth while recording the results 124 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , 1951-52.

ii §'•§ cS a Ta. *

I uI S RE-EXCAVATION OF CHAMBERED CAIRN OF QUOYNESS. 125

in considerable detail. Sections I and II showed that while the inner retaining wall A, like the chamber, stood on virgin soil, the outer retaining wall shown on the old plan, our B, rested on stones of the platform, 2 to 5 ft. above virgin soil. Hence the platform too was an integral element of the familiar structure. But Sections III and IV and a re-examination of the entrance revealed tha centrae tth l cair primarils nwa y supporte waly db l A', rising from virgi feenw tsoife insida l circuits eB' t wilI . l accordingle yb convenient to describe (1) the site; (2) the chamber; (3) the central cairn; mantline (4th ) platforme g th cair d nan .

THE SITE. The original site selected was a very low ridge, rising some two and a half feet from slopind lowean . rgN groun stile th l o mordt e gentl similaa o yt r ridge hardef Th eo depressio itselfd . S rbe e flagstona , th n no e capped with the usual "yellow clay" or rock-head, slopes more gently down from W. to . towardE e shorth s e til t i dipl s abruptly beneatd ol shingle e hth th f eo storm beach chambee Th .buils wa rt acros ridge e e cresth sth f o ,t where yelloe th w "clay 6-1s . abov"0wa ft e O.D., whil passage eth e runs alone gth sloping crest for 3 ft. and on to the shingle beyond its dip. As a result then originae oth f l configuratio grounde th f no outee th , r margi platfore th f no m yellon o . wW clae rest th t 6-8y a n . abovso 0ft N.—alone th en O.D.o t gbu , the axis of the chamber—on grey clay, probably formed in a lagoon or marsh—only 3-70 ft. above O.D.

THE CHAMBER. The chamber is approximately rectangular, measuring 13' 6" by 6' 6" at ground-level walld d 13 bondee en an ' , ar s side high d ean Th d . inte oon another at intervals, but only one slab in each of the four corners joins the adjacent walls obliquely. The courses of both side and end walls oversail one another slightly so as to reduce the area to be spanned by lintels to 2y 'b 10"" side 10th 10 ,'e walls overhanginintace th d t an " 1d 9 ' gan " 18 ' chambee wal(S.d th en )l o t 1n ' r3"O ope. corbellex nsi d cell irregulaf so r plany b measurin " 4) 3 ' (3 , 5y 0" ' b t floor-leveg a " 4) 3 ' (2 , 4y ) 43" 'b ' (1 l walle Th s . 6y 9" 'b " 5) 0 ' (6 d an , 7y 9" 'b " 4) 9 ' (5 , 5y 9" 'b " 4) 0 ' (4 , 60" ' corbe heighto t 4, , '6p respectively0" , 6" u l'10" 6 d 3" f 53 '' 8" s o ' an , " 67 ' , whil e dooreth s vary heightn fro i largese " 2mo 7 t 'Th " 2.1 't stonen i s chambee cells d lintele th dooe en th th , o o e t rs tw r ar ove e doore th th r f so cell 2 being spanned by a block 7' by 3' by 1', while its opposite number is slightly longer but less massive (PL XXIV, 1 and 2). The chamber walls rest on clean yellow clay which forms the floor of the chamber and cells save for cell 3, where rock rises to floor-level, as it does in 126 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , 1951-52.

part of cell 5. In the S. corner of the floor a circular , 33" across and 8" deep beed througg ha ,n du yelloe hth w clad y ha rocke dow t th I o .nt been emptied by Farrer, who replaced in it the human long bones, ribs and vertebrae, that he found in it, together with animal bones, bits of wood and cork. Several stones were lying in the cist on the top of this mixture, but three thin slabs resting tightly against the sloping walls of the cist in quadran. S e th certainle ar t y remain originan a f so l lining. From the entrance to cell 5 to the mouth of the entrance passage a curved trench, 22" wide and 8" deep, has been dug in the clay floor; it stops short at the mouth of the passage and the door to cell 5 where its floor is rock. It was filled with dirty soil in which a number of small slabs, minute scraps of potter d bit f bonyan o sd woo an e d were embedded s doubtfui t I . l whethe e slabth r s were remain originan a f o s l cove r liningo r indeed an , d Farrey b g teso e virginitt rwhethedu th e t t th e trencno f th yo rs hwa soil! The passage opens some 1' 3" NE. of the centre of the SE. side -wall and ihigs" wide " 2y 10 h0 't 'run b I same . sth approximatelet a . E f o . S ° y32 width for 12', where it debouches through wall A. In this section its floor e samth f eiso yellow clae chambe thas th y a f o t slope bu r s e dowth n ni 12' some 7". The two innermost lintels alone are horizontal slabs, the rest edgen o t . se Througe ar h gaps betwee seee b e latte nsecona nth n ca r d cours similaf eo r slab edgen so Farres a , r noted. Beyon de buil walth tA e lpassag wallth f o s e continu a furthe r efo r 12 ft. to the point where it debouches through wall A'. The lintels over this section, accordin Farreo t g r again slab o longeedge,n n o s e n i rar 1 place. The passage is here paved -with five slabs which do not run under the side walls. The first three rest on the usual yellow "clay," but the two outermost cover lower slabs that do run under the walls. The first of these in turn rests on yellow "clay," but the last is part of the plinth of wall A' and passing under the S. wall of the passage continues for over 4 ft. under wall A'. Unde , barelit r y 4-5 . abov0ft e O.D. onls i , y broken rock, presumabl stord ol me y th beach.nort e Th hpassage walth f o l bondes ei d

into wall A' abov plinths eit 2 stoneedgecornee e e ,th th th f t so sa r having been artificially rounded off (PI. XXV, 1). On the opposite side only the basal courses for ma correspondin g return. Above the foune m w irregulan a d r along.th " f 16 'o p ga e passag walen i wal" 1d l3 ' A'an l . This breacy hma observeFarrere o t w e bt edu bu , dslaba , long " 24 ' , wid " 13^d 9 ' "ean thick, projecting 1' 8" into the passage a foot above the pavement as if to form a step dow. it o nt sever o x nSi 1 slabs , each with one good straight edgeo t 4 o t " ' long4 " , wid " 2 d 10 1'o 10 t ',e an " 13 ' 7* thick, lying in Farrer's dump may well represent missing lintels. 2 In 1951 a drain was laid from the chamber through the yellow "clay" under the passage floor and tunnelled unde plinte rth walf ho l Areaco t ' h this loose broken rock. Moisture drains away freely into muc d chambee quitan th w hy d lighterno edr an s ri t i . RE-EXCAVATIO F CHAMBERENO D CAIR F QUOYNESSNO 7 12 .

Nothing to-day survives of any portal through wall A' more elaborate tha e roundenth continuanc y an df o e corner t e returnth ye th f eo f r so no , passage beyond its line. Instead, the fairway was blocked with stones on which rest plinte sth walf h o . lattee lB Ther th raggea n ri s e oppositi p dga e the passage-mouth, due in its present form to Farrer. On the N. a bed of slabs runs out from the back of wall B towards wall A', 1' 4" from the passage- mout aboud han t A'f leveo , p whicl to wit e hers hi hth e onl yhigh" 210 ' . But on the S. the space between wall A', here soon rising to 6' in height, and the base of B was filled with loose earth and stones, from which we recovered humaw fe animad a nan l bones. Farrer foun outee dth r sectiopassage th f no e "blocked with rubbish" in which he recovered several skulls, "one at least half an inch thick," and a stratum of decayed bones. Here we found, in 1951, a couple of human long bones, bones of cattle and a few sherds, one sherd actually lying in a holloe yelloth f wwo "clay" belo e junctio wth e thir d fourtth df an no h paving-stones. More human bone teetd san h were foun decayea n di d state passage-moute th f o jus . S t h agains face walf th to e n la therd A's an , ewa even large t morrbu e disintegrated deposi oppositbonee f o tth n so e sidt ebu above the present top of wall A'. A peculiarly painful gap in Farrer's report is the absence of any account of the means of access to the entrance takee b certais passagey na ma t nI tha. builo n t t walls continue lins dit e under the base of wall B and across the platform. From the platform access would therefore involv edescenta .

THE CENTRAL CAIRN. The chamber with its accessories was cased to its top in a towering cairn composed entirel stonef yo risind san t leasga t 14' abov originae eth l ground- surface. This mass was supported in the first instance by wall A, which survives in places to an elevation of 18-10' O.D. though it is only one course thick n Sectio I exposes e fac. th wa e nI d standin r 10gfo ' from virgin soilproved composee an b , o dt d largel f relativelyo y thin slabo s fifty-eighl thaal n ti t courses coul countee db d (PI. XXVI) thin I .s sections ,a ove entrancee th r wale th ,buils i l t with considerable batter, amountino gt e 10th 25' exposedn "i . Partly perhap resula s sa f slipping o t e batteth , r is exaggerated near the top—7" in the topmost 3' in this section and 4" in 18" nea NWe rth . corner. Wall A presumably ran continuously round the chamber, interrupted only narroe th y b w entrance passage ;N.e eveth , whern no e Dryden's plan shows a gap, our Section III exposed a segment standing 4' high from virgin soil (PI. XXVII plan spacI e n th . e2) , thus define curioua s dha s ovoid outline— 36' alon chambee gth r axi32d t thi'san acrosBu s outlin . sit wels ei l con- trived to accommodate the chamber and cells economically. At its observed 128 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1951-52. base in Section I the face of wall A is only 5' 6" from the inner face of cell 2' distancs s it wall d an , e fro msamee Sectioth celn i s i 5 l. I nWalII n i A l turitsels nwa f burie mantlina n di g cairn supporte complea y db x system of retaining walls. Wall A', the innermost of these, stands everywhere on a plinth of selected slabs, some exceeding 4' in length and most 4" thick. These project some 4" beyonyelloe th face resd linn th e w ean o tdf th e o cla Sectionn y(i s III and IV) or on the presumably undisturbed shingle (at the entrance). Abov e plinthth e , wherever seen e wall-facth , e rises almost vertically. North of the entrance, like the passage wall, A' is barely 3' high. But on , afte partiae S. th re nea p th passage-mouthe lga th r , wall A' soon reaches a height of 6', and 10' from the passage its top is protruding through the present surface cairth f no eabov d behinean d wal elevation a l t Ba f no 15-10 above O.D thao s . t musti standine b t g 9' high. About this levee w l trace l rounal SEe t di d th e . th quadran n edgo e t th Sectiof eo o Bu t t . nI lin sectio f courseep o to s nit s have already slid forwar beloo dt levee wth f lo tha o missewals e , tw lB t daltogethei 195n ri 1 whe wene nw t down obliquely to the base of wall A from the top of wall B in order to leave the well- preserved sectio lattee th f nro intact. Northwes Sectiof o t nI wal ls Aha ' collapsed outwards still more and nowhere emerges above wall B. In Section standw no I Vst i onl Sectioyn i hig " 2d 4 ' hI onlan n II y (PI " 1'8 . XXVII. ,2) t cannoI t indee provee db N.—aWd e tha.an th n tno admittedly disturbed sector—wall A' ever stood any higher, since the mass of stones outside its line could have been derived fro e collapsmth f wal eo e N. andB th l, n ,o of wall A itself. On the S., however, there survives a considerable mass of loose slab walsf o ove weltha outsidy d lB p rlan tto ma have eth e slid forward from wal lwould Aan ' d suffic increaso t e alreads eit y substantial heighy tb a foot or more. line walf eo Th l A' follows mor lesr curvature o e sth th t A walf e o . lA entranc s jusi t te. i fro ft ovee latte m2 th 1 r r alon e passaggth e whics hi shortes radiae arcs it Th .o t l t measured distances from exposure wallf so s SE.d an ;. . Sectio n i S 10 " e 9 'NW th ne n Ith o 11 ;e A" t o t a 6 ar '' 12 " 9 ' corner (reducibl 10o et ' 9" from wal bas A l allowancy eb r batterefo d an ) Section i 10" 9 ' n figure III Th t describe.i e thus si s again pear-shapen do plan with axe 55'd 58f so an '. The space between walls A and A' was built up with substantial slabs, not just thrown in, but laid flat though not properly coursed. The mass was solid enough to stand almost vertical above the side walls of the outer passage in the entrance gash. A section of it has been preserved by a lucky chance agains topmose tth t course elevation a walt f a so lA 18-10f no ' O.D. (PL XXV, 2), and so close to the original summit of the cairn at the NW. corner, though here wal lbeed Aha 'n reduce stumpa o dt . In its sole exposures, in Sections I and III, the space immediately RE-EXCAVATION OF CHAMBERED CAIRN OF QUOYNESS. 129 outsid founpackee bass e b eradiath wala f wa eo o r dt dlA fo l distancf eo t leasa t 6' with massive block cubi9 f froo o st c m 6 fee t brough frop u t m the shore. These blocks tended to be laid horizontally though not built. In both sections this heavy packing appeared to be capped with a rather less irregular laye flaf ro t slabs with their surfaces about 3' above virgin soid lan so roughl levea n ylintelo g l witbi XXVIIe sL h th ove (P 5 r d cell,n 1)an O s.2 norte th Section hi I thinII s levelled boundeares awa anothey db r retaining wall, B'. This stands only 18" or four courses high and rests not on virgin soil, but on a layer of gently sloping slabs that run up from the top of wall A' and apparently from the virgin soil beyond it (PL XXVII, 1). The face of the latter is here only 3' in front of that of B'. Wall B' would have been missed for the same reaso s walna l ASectio n i could ' t havan d, no nI e been reachen di Section IV without destroying the cairn if it exist in either section. rathef o d Wallrbe restthiB a n so slabs slopin gentlp gu y towards wall A', and in Section III seeming to continue across its stump to wall B'. (It is outee th r retaining wall expose Farrery db , and entrancee , savth t ea , con- fused with Dryden'n Ao ' s plan. s lin It s stilei ) l traceabl l rouneal e dth e NWth .n i quadrant p ga d d definecairol an , e na spacs th sav r eefo diverging widely fro kernee mth l bounde face f A'd eTh o wally db .an sA facn i wals ti distanB l t fro16A 'm E alon tha wa soute f gth o t he sidth f eo entrance passage southe ,th 15n o Sectio,'n i 13" 9 'norte , 17^nth I n n h(i o ' aboud Sectioan ) t n17IV ' just entrance nortth f ho e passage whict no s hi radial to it. The corresponding distances from wall A' are 4' just south of the entrance passage, 3' 6" at the south corner, about 3' in Section I, 4' 6" on the easte NWth Sectio,n n 5 d i .entrancnorto 'e an th f hV no I Sectio n e(i B I nII was missing and in Section II A' was not reached). Thus wall B bulges out . quadrancuriouslNE e th t n ywithouti , however, approximatin trua o get circle facn i t ;liei t s between circles with diameter d d 67f 56o san an '' actually runs quite straigh somn i t e section. instancNE r e fo , th 12r n eo fo ' Wal nowherlB e stands, like A' virgid walln o ,an snA soit riselbu s from a wide plinth 2' to 4' 10" above it and projecting as much as 7" beyond the waU face (PL XXVIII, 1). The level of the plinth is 8-10' O.D. opposite the entrance, 10-0' in Section I, 9-35' in Section IV and 9-10' in Section II. Above plinthe th , walnowhers i lB e standing over 4 ' bese highTh t observe. d face, that expose Section di , measurenI d only fro " 3plinte 8 ' m th probabld han y never rose higher; for the large slabs exposed at its top—one 6" thick and wide—loo" 26 ' k lik wale Nd th .coping-stonesgenerall s an li . W e yth n O . reduce coupla o dt coursesf eo . Opposite the entrance and in Sections IV and II the plinth rests immedi- r threo o e ateltw layer n y o largf so e round-edged slabs, piled rather than laid one over the other and nowhere firmly founded on virgin soil but resting on a lower slab layer. As remarked already, wall B breaks off with ragged end eithen so moutre entrance sidth th f f eo ho e passage disorderla t bu , y 9 VOL. LXXXYT. 130 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , 1951-52.

mas stonef so s continue lins dit ebelo p acros plinthe ga levee wth e th f sth lo . Thei Farrer'o t e r conditiodu se b operations y nma thef i t y bu ,wer situn ei and supported at least a plinth, as seems likely, they would have effectively blocked access to the passage on its own level. If there had been a portal through wall B, a descent of 2' 8" from the plinth level would have been require reaco dt passage hth e threshold would an , d presumably have been effected by steps. Alas! Farrer gives no indication whether a portal through B or a stairway ever existed, and the slab observed by us projecting into the passage may have been displaced. For all we know, the passage- mouth may have been completely masked by wall B and its substructure. Unde plinte rth h .an substructurs dit gentlf o ed yliebe inclinesa d slabs that extends 15morr o ' e beyon line walf dth eo undeB l platforme th r a ; second laye f platforo r m materia sees nwa l als paso ot s under n wali B l Section IIId .an facn I si I Wal platforms te i builth lB n o t .

THE MANTLIN E PLATFORMG TH CAIE D NAN . The platform completelw no , y grass-grown, appears superficially (apart fro distortione mth s mentione . 123 p slop a riso n t )y d o eb e some 5' wido et cresta , just 2' abov surroundine eth g ground. Henc t eseemi exteno st d perfectly flat (though actually rising 6" to 12") for 8' (on the S.) to 14' (on the N.), and then begins to rise more steeply towards wall B. This kink stoneo t e sdu slippee mary b slope e y ma kth th d t A'en d ma i frobu ,an mB true base of the cairn. Apart from distortions due to the farm road and to dumps, this superficial profile mirrors fairly closely that disclosed by excava- tion. To the crest corresponds a bank of boulders which reaches a height abov" o3o 6 t f' " 26 e' virgin soilt normallbu , y restmora n so e extensive layer of slabs. In Section I and opposite the mouth of the entrance passage this bank assume e aspec dth wala f o tl thoug t composehno f properldo y selecte d coursedan d facing-slabs bane Th s faceki . d externally witha skir f slabso t , 46o t ' wide, inclined gentl e toward p least yth u A n o t . sit Wincline d th .an . interruptes S ei kera y f slabbdb o edgen so . Sever no eight were just protruding throug ture hth f whe arrivede nw t thirty-onbu , e positionn i w no .e ar Wood mentions "stone t uprightse s " definine th g "terrace" on the E. too, so the setting presumably once went right round cairne th . To-day onlstoneo y tw standine platfor se ar edge th th f eo n go m . horn N eved e an ,n th thesf o jus . eE t diverg muco es h both fro line mth e and from the normal form of the kerb-stones that their connexion therewith seems improbable. The genuine kerb-slabs vary in height from 1' 4" to 2' and are from 1' 6" to 4' 3" long. All rest on slabs of the skirt and have been carefully wedge amondn i g these t manbu , y were found leaning forward fro pressure m th earte stoneth d f hean o s behind them. kerb-slabe Th vere r froar s yfa m describin gcirclea neithed an , r they RE-EXCAVATION OF CHAMBERED CAIRN OF QUOYNESS. 131 nor the platform crest are symmetrically laid out with regard to the cairn's retaining walls. Kerb-stone e preservear s d 35' r 22froo ' mA n froi mB Sectio 17, d 34nI ' an 'respectivel SSEe shortesth e n .th o Sectiot yn i tbu , nIV distance 24'd 37e san ar .' Distance bano st k cresbesy tabulatede b tma t :

Opposite ssw. W. NNE. NE. Crest to SSE. entrance. Sec. I. Sec. IV . Sec. III. Sec. II.

wall A 44' 6" 37' 34' ?31' 45 B 28' 6" 24' 17' ? 14' 25

Thu platfore sth m seem exteno st d much further froNe caire .th m th n no and E. than on the S. and W., just as wall B bulged away from walls A and A' on the NE. But this asymmetry appears less disconcerting when the original contour e grounth f takee o sd ar n into account platfore Th . ms i widest where the surrounding land surface is lowest, and narrowest on the ridgee cresth f o t. Behind the kerb and bank three layers can be distinguished. Layer I consists of slabs, lying nearly horizontal at first and not observed in Section II more than 15' from the line of wall B. From this point the stones, unmixed with earth, slope up gently, passing under the base of wall B and seemin overrido gt stume eth walf po lres d A'an ,t against wall B' Section ,i n III. Laye , constitutinrII platfore bule th gth f ko m filling behin bane dth k but only a foot thick over the slope of I in Section II, contains a high pro- portio eartf n o refus d han e mixed wit stonese hth thao s , t remaineti d damp and dark when Layer I had dried out on exposure. It too passed under wall B and could be traced as far as the line of wall A'. It is capped by another more stony layer (III), including nearly horizontal slabs that run plintlattere e fronn th th I fro ban walf e f o hcrest e o o t . , m th p th B lf k u to loose stones rest agains e wall-faceth t , representing either slip r froo t mi "extra-revetment" material. Limpet-shells, broken anima antleo l tw bone rd tinean s s were found amon stonee gth Layef so , everI n agains fooe walf tth o t l A'. Such midden material was more abundant in Layer II, which included even a few sherds, whil Section e i almos n a I nI t complete sheep's skul undey la l r e slabth t sa bas IIIf Sectioen o I . nI regula r midden deposit finf so e black eartd han ash mixed with bones and limpet-shells were observed; a bed 10" deep had been heape jusagainsp d du fronn an i t f wall-like o t th t e sectio crese th f tno bank feex Si t .neare deposia s r walwa t B lnearl y 2' deep coveree th y db surface slabs of Layer III, but resting upon other slabs (Layer I). Its outer 132 , PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1951-52.

bass it limi markes t e widea " slawa ta d edge15 n y hig ban ,do " b d h25 ,an e finth e black soil passed over into yellowish-orange material resembling ash. This looks in fact like a temporary hearth. Limpet-shells, scattered everywhere through the platform filling, might well have been brought by rats foune w ; a recend t rats' nest fulf limpet-shello l e ungrasseth n i s d rubble in front of wall B. The sheep's head in Section II, half a cow's mandible between two slabs in Section I, and similar finds of large bones or of artifacts must be either ritual deposits or remains of repasts consumed in the course of piling up the platform or on occasions after its completion. "Horns" projec. tN fro e platforskirte e th m th th SWe d f th so an .n mo The north horn before deturfing appeared as a blunt salient from the crest and could not subsequently be traced further in the shallow soil that fills the once marshy depressions. Of the south-west horn the southern margin was clearly definesmaln linte a f y leo db slab s restin virgin go t na soid an l interlockeond een d wit basae hth l platform'slabe th f so s skirt from whice hth horn projects (PI. XXVIII . Thi,2) s tracelins e th e 16 wa r closr o dt o fo ' p eu shore basth f eo dykeopposite Th . e northern margin could not, however, be recognised, and the core of the horn appeared a formless jumble of stones risin ground-surfaced abov" 2o ol g6 t ' e eth facn removae I th .t stonef o l s dyke fo hopelessls th r eha y distorte configuratioe dth thif no s salient. Three Cist-like Constructions have been built upon the platform's skirt outside the kerb. One on the SE., below the normal level of the kerb's base, was defined by two slabs on edge—one on the W. 2' 10" long by 1' 3" high, highcounterpar" o 8 lon " . 1 N 9 S 'y .g b e firse thath th tn o o t survivet d space defines th W.. e oewa nN th , de whil th onlnorma a n ey o y b l skirt slab, lying horizontal. A thin slab, 1' 6" long but only 10" wide, runs just under the edge of the southern upright and suggests a floor. On it rested further horizontal slabs, while others were leanine g Th agains . E te thesth n eo cist was empty save for crushed parts of a lamb's skull and jaw between slabse th . Further fro W." nearld m22 ,an y paralle kerb-stono lt , stande1 s quadran. SW e sla th a comparablhigh a t " edg n n bI o 10 lon e." d 1g10 'an e sla similarls bi t paralleyse kerb-stono t lheadston o N . 18 ee surviveo dt close these "," which were empty.

SECONDARY FEATURES. In contour and profile the great gash on the N. resembles that left by Farrer over the entrance passage, save that its flanks have been completely overgrown with grass and that it cut through the upper courses of wall A and probably reached the chamber itself, since here two lintels and the topmost course chamber'e th f so wal. missinge sN ar l t suggestsI . factn i , , an attempt to break into the chamber, albeit considerably before 1866 in view of the growth of turf. Now immediately on removing the turf from RE-EXCAVATIO F CHAMBERENO D CAIR F QUOYNESSNO 3 13 . the steep slope between the lines of walls A and B in Section III we en- countere da deposi f brokeo t n anima ld rar bonesan e h sherdas , s which extends beyond the southern end of our section towards the broken-down chambere th f deposie o Th p . to t looks like remaineth picnica f o t s bu , scarcels i t i y conceivable that anybody should havfirea t ,eli eaten meat d brokean e nstee th pot pn o sdeclivit y wher e remainth e s were found. The muce yar h more likel havo yt e slid down fro mmora e level surface near caire th nf o afte p breachine to th r e th than A' d I wallf g.o an t cassA e eth cairn's summit must have been flat or at most slightly convex when the potter smale th f lquestioo n y i sherd o currents tw sw nwa beaNo .r ribn si relief, suggestin Rinye m gI o (Skart I a Brae Clas ') ' secondarsA y '' ware, but to Mr Stevenson Unstan pottery. Accordingly the deposit could be attributed to a ceremonial feast held by the cairn's builders on its summit after its completion. The builders of the adjacent broch might have been responsible for the gash. Alternatively this might have been due to the builder Elsriese th f so s shorcasy an e e n mosi dyke o t wh ,probabl y robbed the good building stones of wall B leaving only a nettle-grown trench throughout the NW. quadrant. NWe th .n I corner betwee Elsnes"horne e nth th d s"an dyke deturfing exposed three line slabsf so , laid t onlfla course bu ty on e deep, that look like foundation e wallth f somr o s fo s e flimsy rectangular structure standinn go platfore edge th th f eo t extendin mbu relativele th g o beyont n yo t dhigi h ground ol d surface relico N .s were recovered from this area sav somr efo e rather fresh sheeps' bones and pieces of cramp. Lumps of the latter material were recovered from other points on the platform, but always in superficial or disturbed layers.

ATTEMPTED RECONSTITUTION OF THE MONUMENT. The chamber, the cairn and its retaining walls are constructed of slabs of flagstone, quarried by the waves or split off by man from the beds exposed all along the foreshore. The proximity of such good material may indeed have bee nfactoa r dictatin confidently ma choice sitee t gth I th .f e eo yb assumed tha t leas a t e chambe innermose th tth d an r t cairn with walA l were planned together and raised pari passu. After the walls had reached a little over 3' in height, the larger lintels could have been dragged up a ramp, on to the slab bed observed in Sections I and III against wall A and over its stump. If wall A' were already in building too, the stump observed in Sectio I togethenII walw r lo lwit Be 'hth would represent this stage. Thereafter the chamber and wall A could have been raised to their final heights of 13' and over 14' respectively. The mantling cairn containe waln di l A' would most probably have been completed about the same time. It is admittedly possible, if not very 134 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , 1951-52.

likely, that wall A' was never more than 3' high round the whole north side caire oth f n (fro entrance mth Sectioo et n IV) whicn i , h case wal woulA l d here have been supported merely by a stony slope. On the south it must have rise t leasna t 10'walf I . l walf Ao ' . lreacheA ft 4 r highero o dn 3 e th , above that level would have been masked by a stepped slope of laid slabs a remnant of which survives at the NW. corner (p. 128). (A flat terrace between A d wallexcludes i ' an sA thiy db s observation. resule Th )t would have bee imposinn na t vergbu y unstable tower readw no receivo ,yt s eit occupants. If the broken animal bones observed at the base of A' represent remain ceremoniaf so l feasts, they could have been lodged ther t thiea s time. The primary burials surely took place before the platform blocked the mouth of the passage, whose side walls return with artificially rounded corners into wall A'. Indeed the platform may conceivably have been an afterthought dictate invasion a e chambe y th e dseab f th no , y sucb r s ha could easily happe stora n i m wit threshole hth d only 3-50' above O.Dd .an distant 50' fro e presenmth t tide-mark a collaps y b r eo , outware th f do northern hal walf o f l A'. More probabloriginae pars th f wa o t t yli plan. The eccentricity of the cairn within it would have been dictated by the original contour extensioe lande th th r platfore f th fo ,s o f no m where eth woulw grounlo ds preservdwa effece levea e th f o tl horizon from whice hth cairn should see rise mplatforo t A . featura ms i peculiat eno Quoynesso rt ; Achnacree is a round cairn rising from a platform, and the heeled of are really round cairns standing on heel-shaped terraces. But the nearest parallel is Macs Howe; the howe itself stands, again eccentrically, o nplatfora m which rise coupla s f feeeo t abov e groune leveth eth f o ld outside the ditch and bank that encircle it, and which exhibits just the same profils kinit n ki t thie . 130 notneahowp e e Bu s base w n th . e rth o s f eea o platform would not block the entrance passage. Our platform did effectively seae tomth l b entranc d mas e passage-mouthan kth f o t . no Tha d di t course preclude further burials, sinc notoriousls i t ei y possibl initiatee th r efo d removo t blockine eth g fro entrancee mth chambeo st r tombs. casey constructioe an th , n I platfore th f nwalo d mdoubtlesan B l s mark a new stage of building and ritual activity. The base of the platform would indeed have been there already if the slabs of Layer I had served as part of the ramp for the big lintels. The next stage would then be the heapin e stonth f ygo bank roun projectee dth d enclosee areaTh . d space would thereafter be filled in with stones and rubbish (II) and finally sealed in with a layer of slabs. The "circle" of uprights may have served as much supporo t lase th tt layefenco t s rea ofsacree fth d area. It is less clear when wall B was built or whether it was projected in the original plan. Froinfee w mr I latetha s SectionII i t d i tr thaan I sI n Layer III in the platform. Perhaps it was only built when wall A' showed signs of bursting outward actualld ha r o s y collapsed f thiI .s walalreadd ha l y RE-EXCAVATIO F CHAMBERENO D CAIR F QUOYNESSNO 5 13 .

collapse neved ha r rd o bee nnorte builth hn cairne o t sidth , witf eo B , s hit otherwise so puzzling wide sweep to the NE., would effectively support the stones slope t againsbuttresse i p S. e du f i ,th n tO wal dtotterin. a lA g wall close against which it was built, it completely hid its lower courses. Was facn eow exposeds it , rising fro platfore mth m surfac definind ean g wits hit coping (p. 129) a narrow level terrace from which projected 2 or 3 ft. of wall A' ? In that case all the slabs lying over the top of wall B and against its face abov platfore e th personall m slipa o t m I e . musdu ye b tmor e inclined to believe that most of these stones are extra-revetment material, deliber- ately slope againsp du facee A'd I picturth wallf t .an o s B sfac n ei a t domical cairn of stones, resembling in profile Maes Howe, rather than a '' stepped pyramid'' rising fro levee mth l horizo platforme th f no .

RELICS. Rhins hi n dI Lecture r AndersoD s n expresse hope dth e tha carefua t l re-examinatio r chambe e flooou th f o f r no r woul de recover leath o dt f yo relics, overlooked by Farrer. He was right, but only just. Embedded in the floor of the chamber and of the passage we found: e finishe(1On ) d stone disc, smoothe e surfacth d siden d o dan e an s measuring If" across and -£§" thick. (2flaA ) t pebble chipped roun mako t edgee f di th esimila a s sa r disc. verx (3Si )y small sherd softf so , imperfectly fired ware, containing large angular grits t reddis surfacee bu , th n ho . None of these relics were so sealed-in that they could not have been trampled into the yellow clay by secondary visitors to the tomb. The pottery is so imperfectly fired tha t wili t l disintegrat watewatern ei w s beeNo ha rn . percolating inttome oth b sinc disappearance eth lintelo tw se th fro f meo the roof, and the floor was covered with sticky mud of the consistency of lubricating oil n thiI . s mess reddish smudges, representing completely disintegrated fragment f potteryo s , coul distinguishee db e passagth n di e (even with the aid of two incandescent lamps the chamber was too dark). This pottery, like the relics previously recovered by Farrer, could perfectly well belong to the culture, while the disc is a type familiar in the "megalithic culture Westerf "o n Europe even beyon Britise dth h Isles. From the make-up of the platform, too came relics not inappropriate to e Rinyth o culture potsherdse Th . , though more abundant, wer moro en e decisive than those from the chamber, but two Skail knives, and pot-lids of various sizes, are quite reminiscent of . Other relics from the platform include a piece of rubbed pumice, one rough "club" of stone and several hammer-stones fragmen,a utilisef o t d whale sawn-ofbona d ean f tine. No bone implements were platforme founth n di t bonebu , animalf so s were 136 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , 1951-52. very numerous—in orde prominencef ro , shee r goatpo , cattl red-deerd ean . The occurrence of red-deer antler on virgin soil against the base of wall A' in Sectio I establishenII existence sth huntind ean thif go s e cervith t da time of the tomb's erection. Several lumps of cramp were noted but none came from certainly undisturbed absenc e layersth n I peaf e.o Sanday n o t , dung must have bee principae nth l fuel. The stone disc establishe a furthes r link wite Westh h t European megalithic complex. While "pot-lids e commoar " e nRiny th als n oi o and Broch cultures r "pot-lidsou , " grade dowe "ston th n siz i no t ee discs" that explicitly e belon"megalithith o t g c complex f Atlantio " c Europe. From the Cotswold—Severn cairn of Ty-isaf, Brecknocks., Grimes1 recovered stone discs varying from 125 mm. in diameter by 25 mm. . shapemm d3 1 "b y b y . rougmm hthic7 4 edge-trimmin o kt g improven di one case by grinding to reduce the faceted appearance." Better parallels to disce th s fro chambee mth providee froro ar mtw y Pandb Saerty curioua , s passage grav Angleseyn eo , which measured 2-5d l|- diameten "an i " y b r fd "f "thican k respectivel fro e excentrie mon th d y 2an ;c " Clyde-Carling- ford" tomb of Ballynamona Lower, Co. Waterford, which measured 50 mm.

across by 8 mm. thick. Outside the British Isles parallel3 s have been quoted fro megalithio mtw c tomb Brittany—Chamn si p Grosset, Cote Nordu sd d an , Keriaval, Morbihan—and fro Castre mth Pf oao via domestia , c site occupied by -builders in Portugal.4 Hence, •while the pottery connects our monument firmly with the Rinyo—Neolithic C culture, the discs, as much as s architectureit , connec e tom th tleso bn s firmly wit e "megalithith h c culture f Atlantio " c Europe connexioa , n which fitweln i s l with Scott's

theor south-westere th f yo n origiRinye th f no culture itself. 5

E STRUCTURETH THEID AN SR RELATIONSHIP. The Quoyness tomb is a good representative specimen of a quite distinct class of Orcadian chambered tomb characterised by intramural cells grouped roun a drelativel y spaciou d loftan sy central chamber—the Royal Com- mission's "variety G." Judge vere plan,d th yol y d b Quanterness , between

Kirkwall and , must6 reproduce almost exactly the Quoyness chamber. The cairns on Wideford Hill and Kewing Hill, also overlooking thred an ee Firthf mileon o t y s,bu respectivelBa e th y wes Quanternessf o t , though less regular, embody the same idea, which finds its grandest ex- pressio Macn i s Howe. Finally celebratee th , d Hol e cairth Papmf n no o a 1 P.P.S., v, 132. " Scott, Arch. Camb. (1933), 218, 233. Powell, J.B.S.A.I., LXVIII (1938), 269. 43 Vergilio Correia, "Bl Neolitico de Pavfa" (Comm. de Investigations Prehistoricas y Pal., Mem. 27), Madrid, 1921. "The Colonization of Scotland in the Ilnd Millennium B.C.," P.P.S., xvn (1951), 16-18. "6 R.C.A.M., and Shetland, i, 19.

RE-EXCAVATIO F CHAMBERENO D CAIR F QUOYNESSNO 7 13 . Westra s builyi t accordin e samth eo g t system , thoug e chambehth s i r absurdl e numbeyth lond f cellgan s o beer ha s n doubled f thiO s! group Quoyness alone has yielded any relics. These must be taken as pointers to probable th e connexion remaindere th f so l fival :e should provisionalle yb assigne Rinye th o dot (Neolithi complex) cC . Incidentall thue yw s obtain inhabitante somth ew hinho f Skarto f so a Bra Rinyd ean o dispose theif do r dead kinsmen or chiefs. The cair Wideforn no d certainls Hilwa l y supporte doubla y db e dry- stone wall, as were several stalled cairns on and horned cairns in 1 . Siret note dsimilaa r featur roune th n edi Millares.s cairnLo f so 2 It has been a matter of debate whether both or either of these revetment walls were left exposed. Of course the walls are sometimes built in a decorative "patterned" masonry, but this proves nothing. The elaborate "palace facade f Earlo " y Pharaonic mastabas must have been effectually hiddee enclosurth y b n e wall builthereford an t t closi o et e visible only to spiritual eyes. On this issue the evidence from Quoyness is satisfactorily explicit.

NOTE ON THE HUMAN SKELETAL FRAGMENTS FROM THE QUOYNESS CAIRN.

BY L. H. WELLS, Senior Lecturer in Physical Anthropology, Universit Edinburghf yo .

The human remains left e behinearlieth y b rd explorer e Quoynesth f o s s cairn and retrieved by Professor Childe are regrettably fragmentary. They includ epiece w onl fe craniaf yso a ljawo bone n teetr so d t allshan a ; practically every othe rskeletoe parth f o t representeds ni , usually several times a over n I . few instances it has been found possible to articulate fragments found in different monumente partth f so ; consequentl remaine yth s from these different positions cannot be taken separately in estimating the minimum number of individuals present. e individuaOth f l e skeletonboneth f o se lef th ,t humerus appeare b o t s represented by the greatest number (ten) of adult specimens. This figure accordingly indicate e minimuth s m numbe f adulto r s buriee cairnth n I n di . addition there are bones of two or possibly three children over ten years of age, and one or more, probably two, under seven years. This estimate, made independently, agrees quite surprisingly with Thurnam's statement, cited by Farrer, that there were fragments twelvf o fifteer eo n skulls, adul juveniled an t . The pelvic fragments show one to three males and three or four females, which at least suggests about equal numbers of the sexes. Unfortunately whole th n ei , collection ther onle limo ear ytw b bones lefa , t humerus and left radius, sufficiently intact for their lengths to be measured. In both cases the intact specimen is clearly among the shortest examples of this 1 Ibid., ii, 570, 573, 575, 577, 583. 8 Leisner, G. and V., Die Megalithgr&ber der Iberischen Halbinsel, i (1943), 327, taf. 85. 138 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1951-52. bone. The humerus is massive enough to be regarded as probably male. It measure mm.9 s28 ; calculatio mose th ty nb recentl y devised formulse indicates a corresponding stature of 1590 mm. (5 ft. 2-5 ins.), but this might well be an under-estimate in a right-handed man. In any case most of the men must have been considerably taller than this. Comparison with other skeletons suggests that they ranged between 5 ft. 4 ins. and 5 ft. 8 ins., and one or two possibly up to 5 ft. 10 ins. The radius is almost certainly female; its length of 209 mm. give direcsa t stature estimat . 0-ft 55 ( ins.) . 154f eo .0 mm This agai probablns i y one of the lowest adult female statures. It is difficult to determine the upper limit of female stature, as in a population where both sexes were powerful in their muscular development the taller women can hardly be distinguished from e shorteth r men t althougBu . h both sexes were robustly built t seemi , s that these people were probably medium-statured rather than tall. t Thermucno s hei evidenc joinf eo t diseaslime th bn ei t bonesleas a t t bu , two individuals had suffered very severely from arthritis in the vertebral column. In one of them the body of a lower thoracic vertebra is strikingly flattened. This might possibly be the aftermath of a crush fracture resulting from a heavy fall, but it is perhaps more likely to have resulted from softening of the bone as a direct result of the arthritic process. No other evidences of bony injury have been detected specimee On . n show congenitasa l deficiency (spina bifida) neurae th n i lfirse arcth tf hsacrao l vertebra. These fragments afford no evidence of the racial affinities of this population. Thurnam seems to have found considerable diversity of skull form in the remains examine himy db t seemI . s worth whil remarko t e , however, thalimbe th t - bones from the MacArthur and Mackay Caves at Oban are very much the same in both size and character as the Quoyness material, and I should not be surprised if a relationship could be proved to exist between these two populations.

REPORT ON SHEEP'S SKULL.

. ZEUNERE B . YF , Professo Environmentaf o r l Archaeology, Universit Londonf yo .

The remains foun Section i d r studsubmitted fo , layean nII e y, m II r o dt comprise a fragmentary cranium, an isolated horn core, a right mandible, twelve fragments of jaw and isolated teeth. The most useful information is provided craniume th y b whicn o , hlefe parth t f horo t n cor preserveds ei . The cranium agrees closely with that of several races of semi-wild sheep and undeveloped breeds particulan I . t resemblei r Soae sth y sheep t differbu , s in the steeper rise of the horns, their axes being, in the lateral view, at right angleparietae th o st l plane moro n e .e b thaThiy individuan na sma l feature. raciaa s i t Ili f character t shouli , regardee db primitives da , sinc angle eth s ei less than 90° in most domesticated sheep, the anterior margin of the horns continuing the frontal plane, whilst in the mouflon and the specimen from Quoyness they form an angle with the frontal plane. The cross-section of the horn is oblong-oval, without prominent keels, and it is not flattened on the medial side. In this respect the Quoyness specimen differs from other primitive races, such as the Soay sheep and even the Scottish Blackface, which all have horn cores, flattened medially with a more distinct RE-EXCAVATIO F CHAMBERENO D CAIRN OF QUOYNESS9 13 . anterior keel. The rugosity of the horn core starts very nearly at its base, whic primitiva s hi e character. The parieta abous li minimue lons th a t s ga m distance betwee temporae nth l ridges, which make e parieto-occipitath s l portion appear long. This featurs i e enhance e verth yy db ope n e occipitaanglth f eo l measured fro e parietamth l across the occipital crest down to the foramen magnum, and to the broad and compressed shape of the condyles, which is unlike that of domesticated races at my disposal t resemblinbu , gmouflone thath f to . The Quoyness sheep thus appears to be a primitive race with some mouflon characters, but perhaps not identical with the surviving Soay and Shetland races t I remain .e see b no t swhethe r other specimens hav e samth e e oval sectio uprighd nan t positio hore th nf n o cores . Quoynese sizth e f eo Th s shee bees pha n calculate followine th f o dd gwitai e hth measurements: median length of parietal, width of supra occipital, height of foramen magnum, width across occipital condyles, width across mastoid processes f alveol loweo e th w f rro o i lengtd jawe an th .f ho These figures were compared a develope n i d bree f 25-ino d . shoulde e Scottisth r n heighi hd Blackfacan t e sheep as shown in the following table:

(1) (2) (3) Developed Quoyness. Blackface. Polled Race. mm. Percentage mm. Percentage mm. Percentage. of No. 3. . 3 . oNo f Width of supra occipital . 46-4 89 49-8 95 52-0 100 Median length of parietal . 31-9 81 30-8 78 39-5 100 Height of foramen magnum 16-0 90 17-1 96 17-8 100 Width across occipital condyles 48-8 92 44-2 84 52-9 100 Width across mastoid processes 66-4 93 64-6 91 71-1 100 Length of row of alveoli of lower jaw ..... 71-0 83 65-6 77 85-5 100

Mean per cent, of No. 3 . 88 87

n sizeI , therefore e Quoynesth , s sheep agrees wit e Scottisth h h Blackface sheep, the ewes standing about 22 ins. at the shoulder.