Cist

The National Monuments Service's description

On Ardtermon Strand, located in a S-facing sand dune immediately above a shingle beach. In May 1994 this cist was exposed in section as a result of coastal erosion. In October 1994 it was reported to and recorded by the ASI. The structure was of drystone corbelled construction, capped with lintels, and consisted of two compartments, built side by side, each measuring c. 1.7m wide at the base, and 0.7-1m in height. The internal area of both compartments was entirely filled with dark yellow sand. Surrounding the structure was a matrix of small stones, some burnt, with a few shells and animal bones, which extends for c. 10m E–W. Human bone, identified as the left upper arm of a young adult male, was retrieved from the fill of the W compartment (SMR file). An inspection in January 2014 found that the dune face is grass-covered and only one of the two compartments is visible. The remains appear as a shallow C-shaped drystone structure (1.7m E–W; H 0.8m; D 0.9m) set into the dune face, and open to S. The side walls reveal four or five roughly built courses which support an upper course of larger capping stones. The sand which infilled the compartment in 1994 has been eroded away. A few large stones, protruding randomly from the grass, 0.6m to W, may be remnants of the second compartment.

See attached images:
SL007-039----_01 Cist viewed from SE
SL007-039----_02 Cist viewed from S

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 20 February 2014