Scottish Islands Explorer - November-December 2016

Ages of Man and Tomb of Eagles

Page 32 Top: The 3000-year-old
Liddle Mound Bronze Age site.
Below: The original stones of the
tomb creating the chambers within
it (note the concrete roof).

Above: The Visitor Centre. The Tomb
of the Eagles is well-signposted
and easy to locate.

Photographs taken by the author,
James Hendrie.

34 SCOTTISH ISLANDS EXPLORERNOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2016

Further Information

tomboftheeagles.co.uk

16,000 Human Bones

Today a concrete cover helps to protect the

cairn from the elements and skylights allow

some natural light in. Ronnie Simison found

much in the cairn, including human skulls and

eagle remains. Perhaps to remind visitors,

there are a number of skulls on the wall of one

of the side chambers. Staggeringly 16,000

human bones were found, yet there was not a

single complete skeleton, adding to the

mystery of its use.

Animal bones were also found both inside

and outside which experts believe suggests

that while the cairn was used for burials, it

would also have been used for ceremonies

during the year. Over four stones of assorted

pottery was also found coming from many

different pots. Bones and talons of 14 Sea

Eagles were found leading to both specula-

tion and naming.

Some suggest the eagle was a special animal

to the original builders, but then others point

to recent research suggesting that the feathers

may have been added to the site a thousand

years aer it ceased to be used. To complete

our visit, the near pea-soup fog surrounded

us. In a way it provided the opportunity for

reflection on a unique site and gratitude to its

discoverer.

Shared the Secrets

He clearly appreciated its significance and

must have been frustrated by the apparent

lack of interest by the authorities to excavate.

Having endured 20 years of inaction by

them, he set about the job and formed

partnerships with experts. Ronnie and

Morgan have shared the ‘secrets’ of the cairn

with countless visitors initially from their

farmhouse conservatory.

Now family members continue their

involvement from the Visitor Centre which

opened in 2002. Ronnie received an MBE

and poignantly as a memorial to both of

them, there is a stone erected at the site of the

Tomb of the Eagles.