Description

The monument consists of a group of 6 cairns, probably of Bronze Age date, near the summit of Crussa Field. The 3 ring-cairns called " The Rounds of Tivla" are included. Three of the cairns, the "Rounds of Tivla" are ring-cairns, with outer banks and shallow ditches, and small central mounds. The largest is 17m in overall diameter, with 3 concentric banks formed of stones lightly covered with earth. The other 2 members of this group, which lie nearby, are smaller and less well-preserved, showing as stony patches with traces of shallow ditches. A fourth cairn, which has been disturbed, lies some 250m to the W, and is a low spread of stone 4m in diameter. To the N lie two further cairns, both of which have been dug into, to reveal central burial cists. The larger of these 2 cairns is on the summit of Crussa field, and its central cist can still be seen, as can traces of either a kerb or a revetment within the spread of stones which is 10 in diameter. The smaller of these 2 cairns lies to the SE, is 7m in diameter, and now shows no trace of the cist recorded in the nineteenth century. The area to be scheduled is an irregular quadrilateral, with maximum N-S dimension 300m and maximum E-W dimension 400m, to include all 6 cairns and an area around and between them in which traces of their construction and use may survive, as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance for the information which it may contain, accessible to excavation, regarding the range and possible sequence of development of Bronze Age burial practices in Shetland. The group is of particular importance because of the variety of forms of cairn, and because the unusual form of some hints at parallels with other types of funerary monument, especially enclosed cremation cemeteries, found elsewhere in Scotland.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

The monument is recorded in the RCAHMS as HP 61 SW 5, HP 61 SW 6, HP 61 SW 7 and HP 61 SW 8.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland