Carn Liath Broch: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox castle | |||
|name=Carn Liath | |||
|county=Sutherland | |||
|picture=Carn Liath Broch - geograph.org.uk - 960986.jpg | |||
|picture caption=Carn Liath Broch | |||
|os grid ref=NC87040138 | |||
|latitude=57.98723 | |||
|longitude=-3.9121789 | |||
|type=Broch | |||
|built=Iron Age | |||
|ownership=Historic Scotland | |||
|website={{HES link|Carn Liath Broch}} | |||
}} | |||
'''Càrn Liath''' is an Iron Age broch on the eastern shore of [[Sutherland]], near [[Golspie]]. The name 'Càrn Liath' is gaelic for 'Grey Cairn'.<ref name=rcahms>{{canmore|6833|Carn Liath}}</ref> | |||
The broch is to be found beside the A9 road, around two and a half miles north-east of Golspie.<ref name=hs/><ref>Ritchie, J N G: 'Brochs of Scotland' (Shire Publications, 1998) page 45 ISBN 0747803897</ref> The site is under the care of [[Historic Environment Scotland]] and has a car-park and information board for visitors.<ref name=hs>{{cite web |url=http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/places/propertyresults/propertydetail.htm?PropID=PL_055 |title=Carn Liath |publisher=Historic Scotland |accessdate=16 September 2014}}</ref> | |||
==Description== | |||
[[File:Scotland Carn Liath Broch 3.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Interior of Carn Liath]] | |||
The broch has an external diameter of around 62 feet and an internal diameter of around 30 feet.<ref name=rcahms/> The broch wall is particularly thick.<ref name=hs/> The entrance passage is on the east side and is over 13 feet long.<ref name=rcahms/> The entrance has elaborate door checks and a bar-hole to control access to the interior.<ref name=shh>{{cite book |last=Armit |first=Ian |date=1998 |title=Scotland's Hidden History |publisher=Tempus |page=105 |isbn=0752414003}}</ref> On the right-hand side of the entrance passage is a small guard cell.<ref name=hs/> | |||
The surrounding enclosure contains the ruins of additional stone buildings.<ref name=hs/> | |||
==Excavations== | |||
The broch was first excavated in the 19th century by the Duke of Sutherland, and was initially thought to be a burial cairn.<ref name=ps>{{cite book |last=MacSween |first=Ann |last2=Sharp |first2=Mick |date=1989 |title=Prehistoric Scotland |publisher=New Amsterdam |page=57 |isbn=071346173X}}</ref> Finds included pottery, flint chips, stone hammers, mortars and pestles, querns, spindle whorls, shale rings, long-handled bone combs, a whale bone club, a silver fibula, steatite cups and an iron blade.<ref name=ps/> | |||
In 1909 the entrance passage was still visible on the east side of the broch, but by 1960 no structural features were discernible.<ref name=rcahms/> | |||
The site was excavated again in 1986.<ref name=ps/> This showed that the site was occupied in the Bronze Age, before the broch was built.<ref name=ps/> A Bronze Age cist burial with a food vessel was discovered.<ref name=ps/> The foundations of many outbuildings were found in the enclosure surrounding the broch.<ref name=shh/> Although many were clearly from a later period, some may have been contemporary with the broch.<ref name=shh/> | |||
==Outside links== | |||
{{Commons|Carn Liath, Golspie}} | |||
*{{HES link|Carn Liath Broch}}: Historic Environment Scotland | |||
==References== | |||
{{reflist}} | |||
*Love, P: 'Recent excavations at Carn Liath Broch, Golspie, Sutherland'; GAJ, 15, 1988-9: 157-69 |
Latest revision as of 18:31, 28 February 2019
Carn Liath | |
Sutherland | |
---|---|
Carn Liath Broch | |
Type: | Broch |
Location | |
Grid reference: | NC87040138 |
Location: | 57°59’14"N, 3°54’44"W |
History | |
Built Iron Age | |
Information | |
Owned by: | Historic Scotland |
Website: | Carn Liath Broch |
Càrn Liath is an Iron Age broch on the eastern shore of Sutherland, near Golspie. The name 'Càrn Liath' is gaelic for 'Grey Cairn'.[1]
The broch is to be found beside the A9 road, around two and a half miles north-east of Golspie.[2][3] The site is under the care of Historic Environment Scotland and has a car-park and information board for visitors.[2]
Description
The broch has an external diameter of around 62 feet and an internal diameter of around 30 feet.[1] The broch wall is particularly thick.[2] The entrance passage is on the east side and is over 13 feet long.[1] The entrance has elaborate door checks and a bar-hole to control access to the interior.[4] On the right-hand side of the entrance passage is a small guard cell.[2]
The surrounding enclosure contains the ruins of additional stone buildings.[2]
Excavations
The broch was first excavated in the 19th century by the Duke of Sutherland, and was initially thought to be a burial cairn.[5] Finds included pottery, flint chips, stone hammers, mortars and pestles, querns, spindle whorls, shale rings, long-handled bone combs, a whale bone club, a silver fibula, steatite cups and an iron blade.[5]
In 1909 the entrance passage was still visible on the east side of the broch, but by 1960 no structural features were discernible.[1]
The site was excavated again in 1986.[5] This showed that the site was occupied in the Bronze Age, before the broch was built.[5] A Bronze Age cist burial with a food vessel was discovered.[5] The foundations of many outbuildings were found in the enclosure surrounding the broch.[4] Although many were clearly from a later period, some may have been contemporary with the broch.[4]
Outside links
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Carn Liath Broch) |
- Carn Liath Broch: Historic Environment Scotland
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 CANMORE (RCAHMS) record of Carn Liath
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Carn Liath". Historic Scotland. http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/places/propertyresults/propertydetail.htm?PropID=PL_055. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
- ↑ Ritchie, J N G: 'Brochs of Scotland' (Shire Publications, 1998) page 45 ISBN 0747803897
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Armit, Ian (1998). Scotland's Hidden History. Tempus. p. 105. ISBN 0752414003.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 MacSween, Ann; Sharp, Mick (1989). Prehistoric Scotland. New Amsterdam. p. 57. ISBN 071346173X.
- Love, P: 'Recent excavations at Carn Liath Broch, Golspie, Sutherland'; GAJ, 15, 1988-9: 157-69