[MR] BBC: Richest Viking Burial in Scotland Redux

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends, Especially Vikings:

Today the BBC has a brief illustrated feature on the Kiloran Bay boat
burial, the richest Viking grave thus far found in Scotland.

Sorry, but this isn't new. It was discovered in 1882. Fortunately, the
landowner, Sir John MacNeill, did not loot the site. Instead he called in
experts who carefully documented the finds. The site was excavated twice,
in 1882 and again 1884. The story is being revived as there will be an
important scholarly lecture about the on 15 December.

The grave's occupant was buried with weapons, of course, but also with a
set of scales and weights, his horse, and possibly one or more human
sacrifices. The grave also contained several small slabs etched with a
cross symbol. Some of the grave goods are shown in the BBC article.

The story is found at
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-63920517 .

You can view aerial images of the site, two of the cross stones, and the
colored Victorian drawing of the grave at
https://canmore.org.uk/site/38173/colonsay-kiloran-bay?display=image .

A detailed inventory and discussion of the grave with drawings of the grave
goods was published in PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY OF SCOTTISH ANTIQUARIES
in 1907, included in an article with other graves. The text and images are
available online at
https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-352-1/dissemination/pdf/vol_041/41_437_450.pdf
.

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆