Urn and grave goods

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This ceramic urn was found inverted in a pit at Sandmill Farm at Stranraer in Wigtownshire. It contained human bones, ashes, the grave goods pictured here and a burnt bone pin. The burial dates from sometime between 1900 and 1600 BC.

The grave goods comprised a polished stone battle axe, one whetstone and two further whetstones or metalworker's cushion stones, a blade from a bronze razor and a bone pin. The collared urn is decorated with pitting, perhaps made with finger nails.

The Sandmill group represents an unusually rich set of grave goods. The items had been kept separate from the funeral pyre (except for the pin, used to fasten a funeral garment), and added to the funerary urn after the remains had cooled.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-190-004-064-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.EQ 491
• Date: Between 1900 and 1600 BC
  
• Material: Bone; tubular; engraved on the surface with fine lines forming a chevron
  Bronze; oval
  Clay, reddish; overhanging rim; concave neck
  Lava
  Stone; smoothed edges
  Stone; smoothed edges
  Stone; smoothed edges
  Axe, battle
  Pin / fragment
  Pottery / cinerary urn
  Razor
  Stone / whetstone
  Stone / whetstone
  Stone / whetstone
  
• Dimensions: 0.88" L x 0.13" thick
  17.00" approx H; mouth 12.50" ext D; collar 4.50" deep
  2.50" L; 0.88" max W; 0.10" max thickness
  3.25" x 2.63" x 0.63"
  3.50" x 2.50" x 0.63"
  4.25" x 2.00" x 0.88"
  4.63" L; waist 1.25" W; 2.75" across cutting edge
  
• What: Axe, battle
  Pin / fragment
  Pottery / cinerary urn
  Razor
  Stone / whetstone
  Stone / whetstone
  Stone / whetstone
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Wigtownshire, Stranraer, Sandmill Farm
  Scotland, Wigtownshire, Stranraer, Sandmill Farm
  Scotland, Wigtownshire, Stranraer, Sandmill Farm
  Scotland, Wigtownshire, Stranraer, Sandmill Farm
  Scotland, Wigtownshire, Stranraer, Sandmill Farm
  Scotland, Wigtownshire, Stranraer, Sandmill Farm
  Scotland, Wigtownshire, Stranraer, Sandmill Farm
  
• Event:
• Description: Cinerary urn of reddish-coloured clay with overhanging rim and concave neck, from Sandmill Farm, Wigtownshire
  Battle-axe of lava from Sandmill Farm, Stranraer, Wigtownshire
  Middle Bronze Age razor from Sandmill Farm, Wigtownshire
  Fragment of pin shaft with a single line of zigzag decoration, from Sandmill Farm, Stranraer, Wigtownshire
  Stone with smoothed edges, possibly a whetstone, from Sandmill Farm, Wigtownshire
  Stone with smoothed edges, possibly a whetstone, from Sandmill Farm, Wigtownshire
  Stone with smoothed edges, possibly a whetstone, from Sandmill Farm, Wigtownshire
  
• References:
  • Clarke, D.V., Cowie, T.G., & Foxon, Andrew (eds). Symbols of power at the time of Stonehenge. Edinburgh: National Museums of Antiquities of Scotland, 1985, p 296. 
• Translations:
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