Three recumbent slabs. View from south west.
A single stone row measuring 13.6m long, including three large recumbent slabs situated on a pronounced south east facing terrace with extensive views of the Sound of Mull. The SSW stone is cup marked, the row is orientated NNE to SSW and is in an area with broadly contemporary cairns, a stone-lined pit and another stone row. Excavation revealed that the row had been erected in an area that had previously been ploughed and subsequently burnt. The end stones had been deliberately toppled into prepared pits. This may indicate ritual closure. The central stone was originally retained for a new purpose and fell some time later.
Location
| Scotland Mull Argyll & Isles NM 54179 49181 Lat 56.570004 Long -6.00332 |
Map showing the location of Ardnacross, North stone row.
Plan of the stone rows at Ardnacross. Original surveyed at 1:200 by Sandy Gerrard.
Characteristics
| Type: Single | Length: 13.6m |
| No. of stones: 3 | Size of stones: Only large |
| Orientation: 25° | Altitude: 77m |
| Upper end: – | Lower end: – |
| Straight (Yes or No) : Yes | Sea View: Yes |
| Context: Cairns, stone alignment and stone-lined pit | |
| Notes: Excavated. A bronze bracelet was recovered from the stone-lined pit adjacent to the row. The SSE stone is cup marked. Excavation revealed that the row had been erected in an area that had previously been ploughed and subsequently burnt. It was unclear whether the burning had been caused by swaling or pyres. The row slabs were placed in sockets and held upright by stone packing. All three stones were excavated and this work revealed that the end stones had been deliberately toppled into prepared pits. This may indicate ritual closure similar to that identifiued in Bronze Age houses in SW England. The central stone was originally retained for a new purpose and fell some time later. | |
Other Information
| Public Access: Yes |
| Land Status: – |
| Scheduled Ancient Monument: Yes |
Identification
Category: Plausible. No doubts have been expressed regarding the prehistoric interpretion of this row.
Typology
This stone row is of Type S2. Information on this form of stone row and other rows of this type is available here.
Photographs
Looking SSW along the stone row. The end stones were deliberately toppled whilst the central stone stood for longer before falling. Southern row is visible in the background.
Cup marks on the SSE stone (Scale 30cm)
Stone-lined pit next to the alignment.
Access Information
Parking available at NM 54770 48758 and access from the highway at NM 54592 49183. Follow track to NM 54523 49119 then head up the hill to the row.
Online Resources
Megalithic Portal Modern Antiquarian Canmore Excavation Report Ardnacross Farm
Mull History and Archaeological Society Vernianera Stones of Wonder
Other References
Burl, A., 1993, From Carnac to Callanish – The prehistoric rows and avenues of Britain, Ireland and Brittany, Yale University Press, New York and London, pg. 223.
Cregeen, E R., 1958c, ‘Ardnacross,Mull’, Discovery Excav. Scot,7-8.
Martlew, R. & Ruggles, C., 1990, ‘Ardnacross (Kilninian & Kilmore parish), stone rows, cairns’, Discovery Excav Scot, 32.
Martlew R. & Ruggles, C., 1991, ‘Ardnacross, Mull (Kilninian & Kilmore parish): stone rows, cairns’, Discovery Excav Scot, 52.
Martlew, R.D. & Ruggles, C. L. N., 1996, ‘Ritual and Landscape on the West Coast of Scotland: an Investigation of the Stone Rows of Northern Mull’, Proc. Prehist. Soc., vol. 62,125-129.
Ritchie, G. & Harman, M., 1996, Argyll and the Western Isles, Exploring Scotland’s Heritage series, ed. by Anna Ritchie, Edinburgh, pg. 33.
Ritchie, G., 1997d, Monuments associated with burial and ritual in Argyll’, in Ritchie, G, The archaeology of Argyll. Edinburgh, pgs. 71-72.
RCAHMS, 1980a, The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Argyll: an inventory of the monuments volume 3: Mull, Tiree, Coll and Northern Argyll (excluding the early medieval and later monuments of Iona), 50.
Ruggles, C.L.N., 1999, Astronomy in prehistoric Britain and Ireland, Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 197.
Timeline
VISITED:- 4th June 2016
FIRST PUBLISHED:- 2nd February 2016
LAST UPDATED:- 15th March 2019
The Stone Rows of Great Britain 