106 Note on Gists at Sunlaws, by' Dr. F. Douglas. 



request of Mr. Scott Kerr, the proprietor of Sunlaws, I 

 visited the spot on Thursday afternoon, the 9th of January, 

 and ascertained the above mentioned particulars. The 

 steward then showed me two stone slabs first disclosed by 

 the plough, which he conceived were likewise cists. As 

 evening was approaching, time did not then suffice for a 

 careful exploration, and the examination was therefore 

 deferred till Saturday, the 11th, when it was conducted in 

 the presence of Messrs. J. B. and W. B. Boyd, and of Drs. F. 

 and C. Douglas. 



The earth having been removed from the surface of cist 

 No. 2, there was disclosed an irregularly shaped slab of grey 

 sandstone, 5 \ long by about 4 feet in width, at its greatest 

 breadth, and tapering to about 2 feet. A fissure extended 

 throughout its entire length. It proved to be very heavy, 

 and when removed in halves was found to be nearly a foot 

 in thickness. Underneath this slab was a well-shaped cist, 

 3| feet long, 20 inches broad, and 18 inches deep. The side 

 slabs consisted of red sandstone, from two to three inches in 

 thickness. Although most carefully examined, this cist 

 was found to contain nothing but sand —not a vestige of 

 bone, ash, or urn. There was no sole. This cist lay nearly 

 N.W. by S.E. 



Distant a few feet from No. 2, a third cist was covered 

 by a large stone, also in two pieces, and measuring 4 feet by 

 about 2 J feet. It lay north and south, nearly corresponding 

 to the direction of No. 1. After removing a good deal of 

 soil and sand, several portions, in a friable state, of a sun- 

 dried vase, or urn, were turned up. It was rilled with fine 

 sand only, and its exterior surface had the appearance of 

 having been charred. The lower portion of the urn was 

 carefully removed, and measured 10 J inches in circumfer- 

 ence. Its walls were little more than a quarter of an inch 

 in thickness, and, as before stated, were very friable. Only 

 the lower part was able to be removed. Its surface was 

 perfectly plain, and did not appear to have borne any 

 pattern or device. In this cist were also found several 

 bones, very much decayed, but the femur and its condyles 

 were quite distinct, lying towards the northern extremity. 

 Another portion of a long bone, probably the humerus, lay 

 towards the south end of the cist. This cist was somewhat 

 irregular in shape : length, 3 feet 9 inches ; width at the 

 northern extremity, 2| feet ; at the southern, 2 feet ; depth 



