NOTICE OF THE OPENING OF A TUMULUS IN THE PARISH OF STENNESS, ON THE MAINLAND OF ORKNEY.1

BY GEORGE PETRIE, of Kirkwall, Cor. Mem. S.A. Scot.

DURING several successive summers James Farrer, Esq., M.P., has visited Orkney, and has excavated a considerable number of the Tumuli which abound in the islands. I have had the pleasure of assisting him with my local knowledge in all these excavations, and I have preserved notes, measurements, and sketches of all that has been done and found.

On occasion of his visit in 1860, Mr. Farrer expressed a desire to open all the larger tumuli in the vicinity of the circle of standing stones at Brogar, Stenness. Some of these had been previously excavated by him, and a large stone urn was found in one of them. By his request I communicated his wish to the Society of Antiquaries in Edinburgh, and their Secretary, Mr. Stuart, immediately wrote to Mr. David Balfour, of Balfour and Trenabie, on whose lands the stones and tumuli stand, and his consent to the excavations was cordially given. As it was then late in the season the work was postponed till the following summer, when it was arranged that a deputation from Edinburgh should be present at the opening of the tumuli. The beginning of July was accordingly fixed; and, in the course of a correspondence between Mr. Balfour and myself on the subject he suggested that a large tumulus in the parish of Stenness, known in the district by the name of Maes-how, and not far distant from the remarkable circle of standing stones known as the Ring of Stenness, should be explored. I immediately acquainted Mr. Farrer with Mr. Balfour's proposal, and he at once agreed to include it in his operations. To expedite

1 Communicated to the Section of Antiquities, at the Meeting of the Archae

ological Institute at Peterborough, July,

1861.

matters I visited the place before Mr. Farrer's arrival, and arranged with the contractor for the work, as to the part of the tumulus at which the excavations were to be commenced. Most fortunately it happened that the spot selected was directly over the gallery or passage which leads to the centre of the tumulus, and the covering stones (A and B) of the passage were soon reached.

The Tumulus of Maes-how is situated about a mile to the north-east of the Ring of Stenness. Lieut. Thomas, in his Memoir on the Celtic Antiquities of Orkney, published in the Archæologia, describes it as the most remarkable tumulus in Orkney, and "called M'eshoo or Meas-howe;" it is a very large mound of a conical form, 36 feet high and about 100 feet in diameter, and occupies the centre of a raised circular platform, which has a radius of about 65 feet. This is surrounded by a trench 40 feet in breadth.2

Maes-how had evidently been previously opened. The recent excavations were commenced on the W.S.W. side. The covering stones (A and B, see ground plan and section) were reached, and lifted in the presence of Mr. Farrer and myself. We went down into the passage and proceeded to its inner end, which we found blocked up with stones and clay; but, as there were evidences of the existence of a chamber beyond the passage, and as it appeared easier of access from the top, excavations were then made from above (at D), and the walls of the building were soon found. They were carefully traced, and it then became evident that they formed a chamber about 10 feet square at the top, but widening towards the bottom. The chamber was completely filled with the stones which had originally formed the upper part of the walls and roof, and with the clay which had completed the top of the tumulus. Having been cleared out, it was found to be 15 feet square on the level of the floor, and about 13 feet in height to the top of the present walls.

The passage has been traced to the margin of the base of the tumulus, and runs inwards in the direction of E.N.E. It is 2 ft. 4 in. wide at its mouth (at E), and appears to have been the same in height, but the covering stones for about 15 feet were wanting. It then increases in dimensions to 3 feet 3 inches in width, and 4 feet 4 inches in height, and

2 See Lieut. Thomas's paper in the Archæologia, vol. xxxiv. p. 110, and the general plan of the antiquities of Sten

ness there given, pl. xii., in which the position of " Meeshow," as regards the Ring of Stenness is indicated.

continued so for 26 feet, when it is again narrowed by two upright stone slabs (F F) to 2 ft. 5 in. These slabs are each 2 ft. 4 in. broad, and immediately beyond them (at G) the passage extends 2 feet 10 inches farther, and then opens into the central chamber, its width at the opening being 3 feet 4 inches. The dimensions of the passage, from the slabs to its opening into the chamber, are 3 feet 4 inches wide, and 4 feet 8 in. high, and the entire length 52 ft. About 34 ft. from the outer extremity of the passage, there is a triangular recess in the wall, about 2 feet deep, and 34 feet in height and width in front, and, lying opposite to it was found a large block of stone of corresponding figure and dimensions. This block had probably been used to shut the passage, and had been pushed into the recess when admission into the chamber was desired. From the recess to the chamber the sides of the passage are formed by immense slabs of stone. One, on the north side, measures upwards of 19 feet long, and 4 inches thick (see K). The floor of the passage is also paved with flagstones, and when opened it was covered with lumps of stone, as for draining, to the depth of 18 inches.

On emerging from the passage we enter the chamber. Immediately in front, opposite to the passage, is an opening (L, see ground plan) in the wall, about 3 feet above the floor. This is the entrance to a cell measuring 5 feet 8 inches, by 4 feet, and 3 feet in height. A large flagstone is laid as a raised floor between the entrance and the inner end of the chamber. The entrance is 2 feet wide, 2 feet high, and 22 inches long.

On the two opposite sides of the chamber, to the right and left, are similar openings nearly on a level with that just described. The opening on the right (M) is 2 ft. wide, 2 ft. 9 inches high, 1 foot 8 inches long, and 2 feet 8 inches above the floor of the chamber. The cell to which it gives admission measures 6 feet 10 inches by 4 feet 7 inches, and 34 feet in height, and it has a raised flagstone floor 5 inches high, similar to that of the other chamber. The opening on the left (N) is 24 ft. wide, 24 ft. high, and 12 ft. long, and about 3 feet above the floor of the chamber. The cell which is entered through this opening, measures 5 feet 7 inches by 4 feet 8 inches, and 3 feet 4 inches in height. It has no raised floor like the other cells. The roofs, floors, and sides of the cells are each formed by a single slab; and blocks of