Banks Tomb
Banks Tomb (or "Tomb of the Otters") is an approximately 5000 year old, undisturbed megalithic complex on the Orkney island of South Ronaldsay in Scotland , which was discovered and excavated by chance in 2010 while leveling a hill , in which thousands of human bones are in several layers found. It is located on the south coast of the island, not far from Liddle Burnt Mound and the Isbister Cairn (Tomb of the Eagles). These complexes, similar to the Maeshowe type (like the less complex Unstan Cairn ), were built around 2500 BC. Chr.
The system, built from sandstone blocks and slabs, consists of a rectangular 4.0 × 0.75 m long, west-east oriented main chamber with an axially located polygonal widening cut into the rock in the west (west cell), a second axially located also polygonal secondary chamber in the east (East Cell) and three lateral secondary chambers, one in the north (North Cell) and two in the south, a sixth chamber, as well as the lateral access that comes from the north. The facility was covered with panels to protect the interior from the weather.
literature
- D. Lee: Banks Chambered Tomb, South Ronaldsay, Orkney (South Ronaldsay parish), excavation , Discovery Excav Scot, New, Vol. 12, 2011. Cathedral Communications Limited, Wiltshire, England. P. 138
Web links
- Report and picture
- Discovery of the sixth chamber engl.
- Basic plan
- Entry on Banks Tomb in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland database
Coordinates: 58 ° 44 ′ 5.3 " N , 2 ° 56 ′ 16.5" W.