Small ceramic urn

This unusually small ceramic urn was found under a cemetery cairn at Gourlaw Farm in Midlothian. It was upside down, resting on a slab, and contained soil and pebbles. Inside the bottom of the pot was 'a soft and rather unctuous substance'.

The urn has a well-defined collar, and is decorated on and just below the collar with lines of twisted cord impressions.

Although found beside cremation burials under the cairn, this urn is unusual in not containing cremated remains. The 'unctuous substance' - organic material - cannot be identified but could have been an organ.

Record details

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Online ID:	000-100-035-016-C
Image Rights Holder:	National Museums Scotland
Project:	0098: National Museums Scotland Project description \| View all records in project
Ref:	National Museums Scotland X.EA 165
Date:	Between 2000 and 1500 BC
Material:	Clay
Dimensions:	4.75" x 4.50"
What:	Pottery / urn
Subject:
Who:
Where:	Scotland, Midlothian, Gourlaw, Stackyardfield
Event:
Description:	Clay urn from a cairn at Gourlaw Farm, Midlothian
References:	Coles, F.R. Notice of the exploration of the remains of a cairn of the Bronze Age at Gourlaw, Midlothian. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 39 (1904-5), pp 411-8.
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