| Type: | Orkney-Cromarty. Round cairn. Tripartite or stalled chamber. |
| Location: | Map |
| Notes: | A prominently positioned cairn on Fitty Hill, c500m to the south-east of the summit, with well-defined edges and which rises steeply to a height of approximately 1m. The circular, stony mound has a diameter of c17m, but the central area has been robbed of stone and is very disturbed. East of the central hollow are five upright, but broken, orthostats , which appear to belong to a possible stalled chamber orientated roughly SW to NE. To the south of the suspected Neolithic chamber is a second group of slabs, including one (1.6m long and 0.8m high) that had been set into concrete. These represent the remains of a modern container for animal-fodder, which was subsequently demolished. It is possible the builders of this feature re-used stone from the monument. On all sides of the mound are hollows, typically measuring 3m by 5m. These only occur around the mound and have been interpreted as the results of stone-robbing. The nature of the underlying geology suggests that sediments contemporary with the use of the monument may survive in conditions of enhanced preservation. In 1996, one of the slabs visible on top of the mound was reported to have collapsed. A subsequent site visit by county archaeologist Julie Gibson reported a possible secondary cist on the mound’s east side. |
| Links: | Canmore |
| References: | Davidson, J. L. & Henshall, A. S. (1989). The Chambered Cairns of Orkney. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Statement of Scheduling. Historic Environment Scotland. |
