Description

The monument comprises Cnoc Fada standing stones (sometimes known as the Kilmore or Dervaig B standing stones), which dates to the Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age (roughly around 2000 BC) and forms part of a ritual prehistoric landscape. The monument lies on the SE side of Cnoc Fada hill at about 120m OD, some 800m E of the small village of Dervaig. It consists of an alignment of five monoliths aligned NNW/SSE.

Starting at the NNW, the first stone is prostate and measures 2.4m long, 0.75m wide and is 0.5m thick. The second stone from the NNW stands 2.5m high, with straight sides and a sloping top, and measures 0.8m x 0.55m at its base. The third stone is prone and measures 2.4m long x 0.9m wide. The fourth stone is a rectangular block standing to a height of 2.4m and measuring 1m x 0.7m at its base. The fifth stone, at the SSE end of the alignment, lies partly embedded in the turf and measures 2.4m long, 1.75m wide and 0.6m in thickness. The overall length of the stone alignment is around 18.3m, although the distance between the stones varies.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance as a well-preserved example of a prehistoric ritual monument, with high archaeological potential to elucidate contemporary ritual practices and social organisation. Its significance is increased because, as part of a ritual prehistoric landscape, it is closely associated with several similar monuments nearby which may be broadly contemporary, allowing for comparative study.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the site as NM 45 SW 4.

References:

Burl A 1976, The stone circles of the British Isles, London, 361.

Heggie D C 1981, Megalithic science: ancient mathematics and astronomy in north-west Europe 343-345.

Orr J 1938, 'Standing Stones and other relics in Mull', Trans Glasgow Archaeol Soc, new series, Vol. 9, No. 2, 133.

RCAHMS 1980, Argyll: An Inventory of the Monuments. Vol 3: Mull, Tiree, Coll and Northern Argyll (excluding the early medieval and later monuments of Iona), Edinburgh, No. 101 (2), 66-67.

Ritchie J N G 1982, 'Archaeology and astronomy: an archaeological view', in D C Heggie ed., Archaeoastronomy in the Old World, Cambridge, 34.

Thom A 1967, Megalithic sites in Britain, Oxford, no. M 1/5, 99 & 139.

Thom A 1971, Megalithic lunar observatories, Oxford, no. M 1/5, 67.

Whittaker J 1993, Mull: Monuments and History, Oban.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland