Cinerary urn

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This ceramic urn was found half full of cremated human bones on the Haddo House estates in Aberdeenshire. The burial dates from sometime between 2000 and 1550 BC.

The urn is encircled by two applied ribs, and the upper part is decorated with impressions of loosely twisted cord, forming a pattern of filled triangles between two horizontal lines.

By around 1750 BC, in mainland Scotland, cremation had become the favoured funerary custom. Cremated remains were usually placed in an urn, buried upside down in a cist or pit. As before, individuals were usually buried in cemeteries.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-035-024-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.EA 190
• Date: Between 2000 and 1550 BC
  
• Material: Clay, drab ware, half full of incinerated bones
  Pottery / cinerary urn
  
• Dimensions: 13.25" H x 12.88" x 10.5" D at mouth x 6" at base
  
• What: Pottery / cinerary urn
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Aberdeenshire, Haddo House Estates
  
• Event:
• Description: Pottery / cinerary urn
  
• References:
  • Donations and purchases for the Museum. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 60 (1925-6), pp 100-2. 
• Translations:
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