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MHG495 - Burial cairn - Acharn

Summary

Site of late neolithic-bronze age burial cairn which contained two cists.

Type and Period (2)

Protected Status

Full Description

Acharn was visited by Donald Gregory (then Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland) in the Summer of 1831 during a tour of part of the Hebrides, beginning in 'Argyleshire'. "At Acharn, upwards of a mile farther inland than Dalnagairn, and in a level plain of considerable extent, there is an immense collection of cairns, none of them very high, evidently pointing out the site of some great battle. I saw the remains of a very large stone coffin, in which an urn with ashes was found. This coffin was discovered in taking away the stones from one of the cairns. Many more have been found in the same way, of which no traces are left; and there is no doubt that where the cairns have not been disturbed, there must be many still remaining. Near this remarkable spot is a pretty large circle of stones of no great height. Among those with whom I conversed I could find no tradition relative to the collection of cairns at Acharn." <1>

It is not clear, however, in which of the cairns the "very large stone coffin" and cremation urn referred to above had been found, though it is certainly a strong contender [IS-L 05/03/2025].

Cairn, Acharn (visited by RCAHMS in 1974): This cairn is situated on a small terrace above the flood-plain at the E end of Loch Arienas. It has been very considerably reduced by stone-robbing and now measures about 10.5m in diameter and 0.5m in greatest height. Two cists have been exposed, one to the S of the centre of the cairn and the other in the NE quadrant. The first, measuring 1.4m by 0.8m internally and 0.8m in depth, was found to contain a small amount of cremated bone (PSAS 1977); the capstone has been displaced and lies a short distance to the S. The second cist measures 0.9m by 0.7m internally and 0.6m in depth. The SE end-slab stands to a height of 1.04m and thus rises above the uniformly level tops of the other three slabs; this is an unusual feature and suggests either that the capstone merely butted against this end-slab or that the cist was covered by two inclined slabs meeting at the apex and using the SE end-slab as a gable. An unworked flint flake and small fragments of charcoal were discovered inside the cist. It may have been from one of these two cists than an 'urn with ashes' was recovered during the removal of stones from one of the cairns at Acharn in the early 19th century (Gregory 1857). <1> <2> <3> <4> <5>

The cairn is as described in 1974. (RCAHMS, 1980, 48-50): The capstone of the southern cist measures 1.40m by 1m. A footpath, constructed in 2004, from Acharn bridge to Arienas Point, passes round the North side of the cairn.
Field Verification Project (West Lochaber) - J Robertson, 03/2004

Sources/Archives (6)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NM 6974 5071 (20m by 20m)
Map sheet	NM65SE
Civil Parish	MORVERN
Geographical Area	LOCHABER

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