fife-kinross-clackmannan-1933/03-029

Transcription

INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN FIFE, KINROSS, AND CLACKMANNAN.

ways long after the introduction of metal, these later artifacts cannot, of course,
be definitely set down as Neolithic any more than can the two dug-out canoes of
oak, one of them 28 feet long, which were found in the estuary of the Tay opposite
Newburgh, or the two that were embedded in the sand of Port Ling, betwen North
Queensferry and Inverkeithing. ¹
If a possible explanation of the absence of sepulchral monuments of the Neo-
lithic phase of culture, as well as of the scarcity of stone artifacts in these eastern
counties of Scotland, is the existence of natural obstacles which discouraged men
of Neolithic culture from effective settlement, these were obviously less serious
for a people possessing tools of metal. This may be why relics of a Bronze culture
survive in fair quantity. Inspection of the Distribution Map (Fig. 2) shows that
prehistoric remains of this class generally occur within the regions of higher ground
described above, being found at moderate elevations between the loftier ridges,
a fact which might be taken to indicate the preference of the early people for elevated
sites as settlements. On the other hand, it must be kept in mind that the record may
not be at all complete, as on the lower levels prehistoric remains would suffer most
from the extension of agriculture and the growth of local industries. Many monu-
ments, indeed, we know have been destroyed in this way. For example, at one
time "there appears to have been a number of tumuli" in the neighbourhood of
Burntisland, ² of which there is now no evidence; in the parish of Kettle eight barrows,
three of which had specific names, have disappeared under the plough; ³ and "several
cairns or tumuli, composed of small stones" in the parish of Forgan ⁴ no longer exist.
Similar records of monuments which have not survived come from the parishes of
Saline, ⁵ Newburgh, ⁶ Balmerino, ⁷ Collessie, ⁸ Cupar, ⁹ etc.

SEPULCHRAL MONUMENTS.

Cairns and Tumuli. - The total number of such monuments mentioned in the
Inventory is 63, including several of which there is authentic record but which
have now entirely disappeared. Even those of which there is still material evidence
have been greatly reduced in size, occasionally to an extent which leaves their
character only just discernible. With the exception of that on the West Lomond
(No. 501), which is at an altitude of 1721 feet, they occur at heights varying from 150
to 500 feet above sea-level.
These monuments are usually cairns of stone, but two of them are earthen
tumuli, while others of the same character are believed to have existed formerly.
The example at Cairnfield Muir (No. 114) in the parish of Collessie is one of the few
examples in Scotland of the "bell-barrow," i.e. of a circular burial-mound sur-
rounded by a ditch. But three which were apparently of the same type seem to have
existed at one time on the adjoining lands of Melville Muir (cf. No. 115).
Some of the cairns of stone were originally of considerable size. Thus from
that on Gask Hill, Newton of Collessie (No. 116), which was excavated in 1876-7,
"upwards of a thousand cart-loads of stones were removed." ¹° Similarly, Harelaw

1 Historical and Statistical Account of Dunfermline, Rev. P. Chalmers, vol. ii (1859), p. 388.
2 New Stat. Acct., ix, p. 414. 3 Stat Acct., i, p. 381 ; New Stat. Acct., ix, p. 106. 4 Ibid., ix, p. 508.
5 Ibid., p. 799. 6 Ibid., p. 71. 7 Balmerino and its Abbey, by Rev. J. Campbell, passim.
8 Proc. Soc. Ant., ix (1870-2), p. 151. 9 Stat. Acct., xvii, pp. 158-9.
10 Scotland in Pagan Times, Bronze and Stone Age, by Dr. Joseph Anderson, p. 4

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