Anthropology
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Ancient Argyll glen hailed as Britain’s answer to Egypt’s famous Valley of Kings by TV anthropologist
Author: The Sunday Post, 20 January 2019
Kilmartin Glen, south of Oban, was placed top of five “little known” UK landscapes by TV presenter and author Mary-Ann Ochota for leading travel guide Wanderlust.
More than 5,000 years of human history can be traced across the glen.
At least 350 ancient monuments, of which 150 are prehistoric, lie within six miles of Kilmartin village.
Of particular interest are the earlier prehistoric monuments – chambered cairns, round cairns, cists, standing stones and rock carvings.
Before the pyramids were built, the inhabitants of this area of Scotland had built the first of the burial cairns that make up the Linear Cemetery at Nether Largie South.
More:
https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/scots-glen-hailed-as-our-valley-of-kings/
Kilmartin Glen
Roland Flutet
An impressive site
Created over 5000 years ago, Nether Largie South Cairn is probably the most impressive thing to see in Kilmartin Valley on the west coast of the Scottish highlands: the Celtic burial site is more than 40 meters deep, a kind of menhir buried under stones, and several compartments. One of them contained ancient pottery, while another other was filled with burnt bones, which reflect the crematory practices at the time. This is certainly a massive site that can't fail to impress visitors who come to see it!
The glen is located between Oban and Lochgilphead,[2] surrounding the village of Kilmartin. In the village, Kilmartin Museum[3] explains the stories of this ancient landscape and the people who dwelt there.
There are more than 800 ancient monuments within a six-mile radius of the village, with 150 of them being prehistoric. Monuments include standing stones, a henge monument, numerous cists, and a "linear cemetery" comprising five burial cairns. Several of these, as well as many natural rocks, are decorated with cup and ring marks.
The remains of the fortress of the Scots at Dunadd, a royal centre of Dal Riata, are located to the south of the glen, on the edge of the Moine Mhòr or Great Moss. Kilmartin Museum is located within the village itself and inspires and educates people by interpreting, explaining and conserving the internationally important archaeological landscape, artefacts and natural heritage of Kilmartin Glen.[3]
The linear cemetery
View of Kilmartin Glen south from Kilmartin village churchyard
The most visible feature of the Kilmartin Glen is the linear arrangement of cairns, running over three miles south-by-south-west from the village. There are five remaining cairns in the alignment, although cropmarks and other traces suggest that there may originally have been more. The burial cairns are of Bronze Age origin, with the exception of Nether Largie South cairn, which is a Stone Age structure, rebuilt in the Bronze Age.
More:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilmartin_Glen
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Kilmartin Glen Rock Art
23
JUL
Kilmartin Glen is name familiar to many archaeologists; it is described as Scotland’s richest prehistoric landscape. But what is there to see? I spent two days walking and driving about the glen, exploring the prehistory. This will be the first of several posts exploring the different types of archaeology to be found there – let’s start with rock art.
More:
https://prehistorysue.wordpress.com/2011/07/23/kilmartin-glen-rock-art/
Many outstanding images of the area:
https://tinyurl.com/y7qkwh8j
Official Argyle socks, of course:
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