Record

Items placed with the dead in a chambered tomb

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From Unstan, Orkney

Postcard of Items placed with the dead in a chambered tomb.
000-100-035-186-C
© National Museums Scotland

Items placed with the dead in a chambered tomb

These objects are among a number of offerings placed with the dead in a chambered tomb at Unstan in Orkney. They were buried between 3400 and 2900 BC.

Pictured here are a rim fragment of a pot, flint arrowheads, a flint scraper, a flint knife, a flint flake, a pebble and a dog's tooth. A few dog bones were also found in this tomb, but it is unclear whether the dogs were pets, food or totemic creatures.

Many of Scotland's early farming communities buried their dead in communal tombs. Various offerings for the afterlife were included, such as food, in pots or as joints of meat, and everyday possessions such as flint arrowheads and tools.


Record details

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Online ID: 000-100-035-186-C
Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
Project: 0098: National Museums Scotland
Project description | View all records in project
Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.EO 198
Date: Between 3400 and 2900 BC
Material: Bone, tooth, dog / stone; small; smoothed; pierced / flint
Bone, tooth, dog / stone; small; smoothed; pierced / flint
Ceramic; with triangles of incised lines
Flint
Flint
Flint; lozenge-shaped
Flint; lozenge-shaped
Flint; lozenge-shaped
Flint; lozenge-shaped
Flint; lozenge-shaped
Oblong
Dimensions: 10.50" D
What: Arrowhead
Arrowhead
Arrowhead
Arrowhead
Arrowhead / portion
Flake
Knife
Pottery / urn / rim
Scraper
Tooth / stone / flint / fragment
Tooth / stone / flint / fragment
Subject:
Who:
Where: Scotland, Orkney, Unstan
Scotland, Orkney, Unstan
Scotland, Orkney, Unstan
Scotland, Orkney, Unstan
Scotland, Orkney, Unstan
Scotland, Orkney, Unstan
Scotland, Orkney, Unstan
Scotland, Orkney, Unstan
Scotland, Orkney, Unstan
Scotland, Orkney, Unstan
Scotland, Orkney, Unstan
Event:
Description: Rim of an urn with triangles of incised lines, from Unstan, Orkney
Lozenge-shaped flint arrowhead from Unstan, Orkney
Lozenge-shaped flint arrowhead from Unstan, Orkney
Lozenge-shaped flint arrowhead from Unstan, Orkney
Lozenge-shaped flint arrowhead from Unstan, Orkney
Portion of a lozenge-shaped flint arrowhead, from Unstan, Orkney
Oblong scraper from Unstan, Orkney
Flint knife from Unstan, Orkney
Flint flake from Unstan, Orkney
One of a collection of dog's tooth, smoothed and pierced small stone and numerous fragments of flints, from Unstan, Orkney
One of a collection of dog's tooth, smoothed and pierced small stone and numerous fragments of flints, from Unstan, Orkney
References:
  • Davidson, J.L. and Henshall, A.S. The Chambered Cairns of Orkney. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1989. 
Translations:
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