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<< Our Photo Pages >> Knowe of Yarso - Chambered Cairn in Scotland in Orkney

Submitted by enkidu41 on Thursday, 06 May 2004  Page Views: 12309

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Knowe of Yarso
Country: Scotland County: Orkney Type: Chambered Cairn
Nearest Town: Rousay  Nearest Village: Rousay
Map Ref: HY40482795  Landranger Map Number: 5
Latitude: 59.134175N  Longitude: 3.041779W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
3 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
4

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drolaf visited on 9th Jun 2022 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 4

bishop_pam visited on 25th Apr 2018 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3

Jansold saw from a distance on 6th Jun 2013 - their rating: Access: 2

rrmoser DrewParsons jeffrep TimPrevett Redfun have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3.5 Ambience: 5 Access: 3

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by enkidu41 : HY 404281 On Rousay. A neolithic stalled cairn about 50' long x 25' wide entered by a 13' long passage at the eastern end. The chamber (which my have originally been two-storied) is divided into 4 compartments by 3 pairs of upright slabs. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Chambered Cairn in Orkney

On Rousay. A neolithic stalled cairn about 50' long x 25' wide entered by a 13' long passage at the eastern end. The chamber (which my have originally been two-storied) is divided into 4 compartments by 3 pairs of upright slabs.

Additional information submitted by Drew Parsons, September 2010:
This 4900 year old stalled cairn sits above Eynhallow Sound on a continuation of the ridge below the uplands on the south side of Rousay island. It is reached along a 400 metre path signposted from the road involving an uphill climb onto the ridge. The site is accessed through a modern entrance into the 4 metre long passage to emerge in the chamber. The chamber is divided into stalls by vertical flagstones whilst the retaining walls comprise two layers of stonework, one on top of the other in a local tradition of a double skin of stone around the chamber. The stonework reflects the local Unstan Ware pottery's decoration tradition of triangular motifs. When excavated in 1934 the remains of at least 29 adults were found although for 17 only the skulls were found. The bones were disarticulated and arranged neatly in groups facing inwards. Other finds included flint knives and pottery sherds together with the bones of both domestic and wild animals. Many of these items showed scorch marks as did some of the upper stonework in the chamber indicating that fires had been lit inside the chamber as part of the funerary rites. The tomb was in use from 2900 BC until closed up around 1900 BC based on finds and dating techniques.
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Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by howar : Last stall before end cell (Vote or comment on this photo)

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by swatson : Excavated in 1934 and found to contain the remains of 29 people. OS HY 404279 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by swatson : This chambered tomb is situated on a hillside on the Island of Rousay, overlooking Eynhallow Sound. Radiocarbon dating indicates it was in use around 2900BC OS HY 404279 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by MapmakerJenny2 : Knowe of Yarso (Vote or comment on this photo)

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by howar : View from end cell past stalls to modern entrance

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by DrewParsons : The 7.3 metre long chamber which is divided into stalls by vertical flagstones. Most of the 29 or more burials were found at the far end of the chamber.

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by DrewParsons : View looking along the 4 metre passage towards the chamber. September 2010.

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by ShamrockStone : Knowe of Yarso

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by ShamrockStone

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by howar : West end cell contained most of the skeletal material

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by howar : West end

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by howar : Central passage and right hand side

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by howar : Left hand side

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by howar : Looking back from passage to the modern entrance

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by howar : A cairn corner

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by howar : Cairn material

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by howar : Passage sides

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by howar : The track where it levels off has a very steep drop to the left, cairn sits on a scarcement.

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by DrewParsons : View of the cairn from the west on the sometimes indistinct trail which leads west towards the Knowe or Ramsay.

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by DrewParsons : The modern entrance (unlocked in September 2010).

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by DrewParsons : The patterned stonework in the retaining walls reminiscent of the design seen on contemporary local Unstan Ware pottery. September 2010.

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by DrewParsons : The cairn on a sunny day!! September 2010.

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by DrewParsons : Illustration showing the stonework in the retaining walls reminiscent of the designs on the local contemporary Unstan Ware pottery. September 2010.

Knowe of Yarso
Knowe of Yarso submitted by DrewParsons : Part 2 of the informative site sign. September 2010.

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 441m W 276° Knowe of Ramsay* Chambered Cairn (HY40042800)
 456m S 189° Langstane (Orkney)* Standing Stone (Menhir) (HY404275)
 558m W 270° Knowe of Lairo* Chambered Cairn (HY39922796)
 652m SW 219° Knowe of Burrian (Frotoft)* Broch or Nuraghe (HY40062745)
 997m ESE 109° Blackhammer* Chambered Tomb (HY41422761)
 1.2km SE 126° Knowe of Hunclett* Broch or Nuraghe (HY41442722)
 1.3km W 276° Viera Lodge Broch or Nuraghe (HY392281)
 2.1km E 98° Taversoe Tuick* Chambered Cairn (HY42572761)
 2.3km ENE 60° Tammaskirk* Ancient Village or Settlement (HY42502907)
 2.3km WNW 295° Westness Chambererd Tomb* Chambered Tomb (HY38402898)
 2.5km WSW 243° Gurness* Broch or Nuraghe (HY3818926842)
 2.5km WSW 244° Aikerness Class I Pictish Symbol Stone (HY38182685)
 3.1km S 187° Ness of Woodwick* Broch or Nuraghe (HY40072487)
 3.4km WNW 299° Knowe of Swandro* Chambered Cairn (HY37532966)
 3.4km E 88° Cubbie Roo's Burden* Chambered Cairn (HY43932800)
 3.6km WNW 299° Knowe of Rowiegar* Chambered Cairn (HY37332978)
 3.9km NNE 22° Knowe of Craie* Chambered Cairn (HY41963153)
 3.9km SW 222° Quoys Chambered Cairn Chambered Cairn (HY37822507)
 4.0km SW 218° Redland South* Chambered Cairn (HY38002484)
 4.1km NW 307° Midhowe Chambered Cairn* Chambered Cairn (HY37223051)
 4.2km NW 308° Midhowe Broch* Broch or Nuraghe (HY372306)
 4.2km WSW 253° Knowe of Stenso* Broch or Nuraghe (HY3639426747)
 4.4km ESE 113° Braes of Ha’Breck, Wyre. Ancient Village or Settlement (HY445262)
 4.4km S 188° Knowe of Midgarth* Ancient Village or Settlement (HY39812361)
 4.4km NW 308° North Howe Broch* Broch or Nuraghe (HY3705130722)
View more nearby sites and additional images

<< Taversoe Tuick

Midhowe Broch >>

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The Imagined Sound of Sun on Stone - Sally Beamish

The Imagined Sound of Sun on Stone - Sally Beamish

Web Links for Knowe of Yarso

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"Knowe of Yarso" | Login/Create an Account | 4 News and Comments
  
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Re: Knowe of Yarso by howar on Friday, 02 June 2017
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An oval or sub-oval mound covered a stalled tomb entered from the south-eastern end. It resembled Midhowe except that the cairn sat on a substantial 'scarcement' surmounted by a foot high course of flags set at an angle, then finally a horizontal course. It was the first such feature discovered in Orkney
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Re: Knowe of Yarso by howar on Friday, 02 June 2017
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HY40482795 [updated - thank you!]
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Re: Knowe of Yarso by DrewParsons on Saturday, 16 October 2010
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This 4900 year old stalled cairn sits above Eynhallow Sound on a continuation of the ridge below the uplands on the south side of Rousay island. It is reached along a 400 metre path signposted from the road involving an uphill climb onto the ridge. The site is accessed through a modern entrance into the 4 metre long passage to emerge in the chamber. The chamber is divided into stalls by vertical flagstones whilst the retaining walls comprise two layers of stonework, one on top of the other in a local tradition of a double skin of stone around the chamber. The stonework reflects the local Unstan Ware pottery's decoration tradition of triangular motifs. When excavated in 1934 the remains of at least 29 adults were found although for 17 only the skulls were found. The bones were disarticulated and arranged neatly in groups facing inwards. Other finds included flint knives and pottery sherds together with the bones of both domestic and wild animals. Many of these items showed scorch marks as did some of the upper stonework in the chamber indicating that fires had been lit inside the chamber as part of the funerary rites. The tomb was in use from 2900 BC until closed up around 1900 BC based on finds and dating techniques.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Knowe of Yarso by jeffrep on Wednesday, 04 August 2010
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Condition: 3
Ambience: 4
Access: 2
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