Stone box from Balblair

The Balblair Stone Box was discovered in 1990 in North Balblair Wood near Beauly in Inverness-shire in Scotland while quarrying under a hill.

The stone box consisted of a large broken ceiling slab of Beauly sandstone and seven stone slabs on the side. The four side plates on the north side were supported with a stone packing. They were placed in a larger excavation. The 15 cm thick side plate on the south side, which is probably secondary related, was part of a once larger plate and provided with a damaged, completely unusual decoration and two simple bowls . Soil samples in the acidic soil of the box filling revealed increased phosphate and pH values, which could be caused by a decomposed body.

The small size of the box with internal dimensions of 60 by 45 cm indicates the burial of a child who was given two early bell beakers , one of normal size and a smaller one (height 8.4 cm). The cups were of the late northern type (N3). The rescue excavation did not reveal any other findings in the vicinity.

Nearby is the Craigscorry stone chest .

See also

• List of stone boxes

literature

• Robin Hanley, Alison Sheridan: A Beaker cist from Balblair, near Beauly, Inverness District. In: Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Volume 124, 1994, pp. 129-139, ( PDF ).
• Robert Gourlay: Sutherland - a historical guide. Birlinn, Edinburgh 1996, ISBN 1-874744-44-0 p. 34

Individual evidence

1. ^ David L. Clarke : Beaker pottery of Great Britain and Ireland. 2 volumes. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1970.

Web links

• Description Engl. and pictures
• Image of the flagstone and the mug
• Description Engl. and pictures
• Entry on Balblair Stone Chest  in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland database

Coordinates: 57 ° 28'5 "  N , 4 ° 29'11"  W.