Description

The monument is a burial cairn (now turf covered) of the earlier Bronze Age, some 3500 years old, situated on a knoll on the S slopes of Dirrington Little Law, 950m NNE of Bedshiel farm steading. The cairn measures 6m in diameter and 0.7m in height. There are traces of a shallow ditch around the N half, suggesting the cairn was built, at least in part, of material quarried from around its site. The cairn is likely to cover at least one burial of the earlier Bronze Age; further burials may also have been inserted into the body of the cairn. Traces of activities associated with the construction and use of the cairn may survive in the area around. An area measuring 30m in diameter, centred on the cairn, to include the cairn and the area of archaeological importance around it, is proposed for scheduling.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is a well preserved example of its type. Burials and the remains of the rites associated with burial may survive, under, within and around the cairn; archaeological excavation would recover information of importance which would add to our knowledge of the inhabitants of this part of the country in the earlier Bronze Age. The monument is of national importance to the themes of earlier Bronze Age burial and ceremonial practices. It is of particular interest because of the survival of other cairns in the area; comparison of the burial deposits in all of these would contribute significantly to our knowledge of the variety of burial practices in the period.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the site as NT65SE 4.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland