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Although the weather has deteriorated
we are making fine progress. The main structure with the central cist
continues to surprise us. Excavation in the interior has revealed that
the cist was cut through an earlier floor level. Whats more is that magnetic
susceptibility (measures degrees of burnt soil) testing around the cist
has produced high readings suggesting the presence of a hearth in close
proximity. One interpretation which is particularly exciting is that this
building was originally some form of dwelling containg a central hearth
which was subsequently removed and replaced by a cist. The idea of a central
hearth being replaced by a cist is fascinating when the structure of contemporary
Early bronze Age barrows in Orkney are recalled. Here a stone outer wall
surrounds and provides a revetment for the barrow and in the centre is
the burial cist. When these sites are exposed they strongly resemble the
layout of the house but with the hearth replaced by the cist. The importance
of the hearth for the maintenance of life in northern locations such as
Orkney provides a strong symbolic medium, for instance the hearth often
symbolizes the well being of the family. Equally, it was always considered
extremely bad luck to let the fire go out, and as Tom Muir of Tankerness
House Museum assures me it was equally unlucky to share fire (to use fire
from one hearth to light another). The fire was also extinguished on the
death of a family member. The point here is that the hearth possibly provided
a strong metaphor for life and death and it may be no coincidence that
burial cists in the centre of the circular barrow strongly resemble hearths
in houses. Also of great interest, is the discovery of a bowl shaped feature
formed of clay moulded into the floor of the structure a little to the
east of the cist that replaces the hearth. This is currently under very
careful and detailed excavation in order that any clues to its purpose
and relationship with other internal feature are revealed. Hopefully in
the next few days much more will be known about this unusual feature.
In the second largest trench at Stonehall, Sian has finally discovered
a substantial house. Although the outer walling has largely been removed
the inner furniture such as the hearth and stone bounded recesses are
well preserved. Everyone is very pleased with this discovery because it
shows that a number of houses once surrounded the building with the central
cist.
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