Alternative Names Cunningsburgh
Site type STEATITE WORKINGS
Canmore ID 924
Site Number HU42NW 1
NGR HU 4255 2709
Council SHETLAND ISLANDS
Parish DUNROSSNESS
Former Region SHETLAND ISLANDS AREA
Former District SHETLAND
Former County SHETLAND

Canmore Mapping
View this site on a map


C14 Radiocarbon Dating
C14 radiocarbon dating

Archaeological Notes

HU42NW 1 4255 2709 to 4235 2705.

There are steatite workings on the right bank of the burn of Catpund.
RCAHMS 1946.

Portions of two unfinished quadrangular steatite vessels from Cunningsburgh have been presented to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS).
Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1951 (donations).

Steatite workings can be seen on outcrop rock at HU 4255 2709, on the right bank of the Burn of Catpund, and higher up the burn, at HU 4235 2705. Spoil heaps from the workings can also be seen, especially at the latter site. Steatite vessels from the workings are in Lerwick Museum and the vessels from Cunningsburgh (PSAS 1951) also came from here, (Mr T Henderson, Curator, Lerwick Museum).
Visited by OS (WDJ) 8th May 1968.

HU 4232 2706 An area, 10m by 8m, was excavated through a spoil heap derived from an exposed and buried rock face. The floor of the quarry was found beneath the spoil comprising over 100 tightly packed hollows left by the removal of soapstone blocks. The size and shapes of the hollows indicate the types of vessels produced - square blocks 20cm cubed and large oval blocks c.70cm long as well as baking plates. Vessels formed from similar blocks were found in the late Norse levels (12th-13th centuries) at Jarlshof.
J R C Hamilton 1956; B Smith, S Carter and V Turner 1988.

Downes and Lamb, J and R [G] (2000) Prehistoric houses at Sumburgh in Shetland: excavations at Sumburgh airport 1967-74, Oxford
Page(s): 66, 67, 85, 112 Held at RCAHMS E.7.11.DOW

Hamilton, J R C (1957a) Excavations at Jarlshof, Shetland, Edinburgh

Hunter, J R (2003) 'The early Norse period', in Edwards, K J and Ralston, I B M Scotland after the Ice Age: environment, archaeology and history 8000BC - AD 1000 Edinburgh
Page(s): 249