Cuween Hill Chambered Tomb (Fairy Knowe)

All pictures copyright © 1995, 1998 Martin McCarthy

Pictured is the interior of the main cell showing entrances into small side-cells set into the walls. Large image (8k 180x119) Runes carved in Cuween cairn. These are probably fairly recent graffitti rather than genuine Viking runes. Large image (86k 641x402) The main chamber, looking north. Large image (51k 418x634) Enhanced image of the runes. Large image (77k 664x218) The main chamber, looking south. The entrance is at the lower far end of the left wall; the spaces in the facing and right walls lead into subsidiary chanbers. Large image (74k 635x444)

Looking east from the eastern slope of Cuween Hill is a chambered tomb, sometimes known as the Fairy Knowe. Pictured is the interior of the main cell showing entrances into small side-cells set into the walls. When the tomb was excavated in 1901, by M.M.Charleson, seven human skulls and twenty-four dog skulls were found within the main chamber and the side chambers. There has been some speculation that the dog was a tribal totem (as with red deer at Holm of Papa Westray North and eagles at Isbister).