Print

MHG33352 - Late Neolithic-Early Bronze Age house - Rubh'an Tangaird, Galmisdale, Eigg

Summary

A Late Neolithic-Early Bronze Age house near Rubh'an Tangaird, Galmisdale, Eigg.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

A Late Neolithic-Early Bronze Age house near Rubh'an Tangaird, Galmisdale, Eigg.

The site was recorded by RCAHMS during a survey of Eigg in 2001-2. This oval building is situated 230m SSE of the nearest roofed building and 260m NNW of Rubha an Tangaird point. It measures 8m from E to W by 4.3m transversely, within a stone wall that averages 2m in thickness and 0.5m in height, marked by numerous inner and outer facing stones. The entrance is to the E and is 2m in width. The closest parallels for this building are to be found among the oval prehistoric houses of Shetland, with which it shares many characteristics eg Scord of Brouster (HU25SE 26).

A secondary enclosure is attached to the S wall of the building. It measures 5.1m from E to W by 2m transversely within a wall about 1m in thickness and there is an entrance to the W. There are the remains of later lazy bed cultivation to the W.
(EIGG01 490): Visited by RCAHMS (ARG, MFTR) 15 May 2001 and RCAHMS (AGCH) 11 October 2002

The building was Scheduled by Historic Scotland in 2004. The site consists of the remains of an oval house of prehistoric date. Its plan suggests a late Neolithic or early Bronze age date. The area is rectangular, measuring 25m N-S by 30m E-W.

In Galmisdale there are the footings of a building that may be the foundations of a Neolithic house, situated on a terrace at the edge of later field cultivation and one of the few known examples in the region. The foundations are oval in plan, measuring approximatley 8m by 4.3m, with double-faced stone walls some 2m thick but with many of the inner facing stones missing. The entrance, is at the east end and is unusually wide, possibly refelcting the original use of timber posts, flanked by the remains of a flat façade. An upright stone stnads on each side of the entrance at its outer edge immediatley in front of the façade, but it is not clear whether these are original features. A subrectangular cell built against the outer face is probably a much later structure. <2>

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NM 4777 8345 (20m by 20m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NM48SE
Geographical Area	SKYE AND LOCHALSH
Civil Parish	SMALL ISLES

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

External Links (2)