NM48SE 2 49006 84893 (NM 4899 8488) Cairns (NR) OS 1:10000 map (1976) Two adjoining tumuli, 500 to 600 yds S of Kildonnan, were excavated in 1875 by Prof MacPherson and A Joass and yielded Viking grave-goods, which were donated to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS). Although the larger appeared to have been disturbed and no body was found, it yielded the following objects: fragments of an iron sword (Accession no: IL 160-1), a whetstone (IL 162), a silvered bronze penannular brooch (IL 163), a portion of a leather belt (IL 166) with buckle and clasp, (IL 159 & IL 165), an iron axehead (IL 167), small fragments of bone, beads etc., but no pottery or flint. Small fragments of woollen and linen cloth were also found (IL 164) (later confirmed by the Wool Industries Research Assoc. and the Shirley Institute (G M Crowfoot 1951)). The smaller tumulus a few yards further S yielded another bonze penannular brooch (IL 173), splinters of flint, an iron sword (IL 174), a whetstone (IL 177), and beads of amber and jet (IL 170-2 and IL 175-6). The finds are dated to the second half of the 9th century AD. N MacPherson 1878; NMAS Catalogue 1892; S Grieg 1940. Two contiguous turf-covered cairns at NM 4899 8488, generally as planned by MacPherson. The westerly cairn measures about 12.0m in diameter and 1.2m high and has an excavation trench into the centre from the NW. The centre is partly filled with rubbish, but most of the stones forming the cist planned by MacPherson can be seen. It measures 1.1m NW-SE by at least 1.3m transversely. There is no trace of the SW end. The other cairn measures about 5.5m in diameter and is 0.5m high, with a central excavation in which no structure is exposed. Surveyed at 1:10,000. Visited by OS (AA) 8 May 1972