Unenclosed Graves

In the northern Pictish cemetery several unenclosed graves arranged - both small- presumably child graves- and larger adult graves- were uncovered during the excavations of the square and circular barrows.  From the aerial photographs these unenclosed burials appear both in rows and more randomly.  All of the excavated examples respected the barrows.

A cluster of unenclosed graves were revealed to the northeast of the square barrows, all of which were aligned east to west.  Two of these graves contained fragments of outer teeth enamel, surviving in the west end of the graves.  A date from one of these graves was from the 9th/10th centuries AD suggesting it may be contemporary with or slightly later than the barrows.

On either side of the round barrow were two unenclosed graves.  The one to the east of the round barrow yielded the remains of a charred oak log coffin and was dated to the period similar to the round barrow grave, the 4th/6th centuries AD.  These dates show the northern cemetery had a long life, starting well before the documented royal use of the site in the 9th century.