The Forteviot dagger-grave – one of 28 such graves in Scotland (Baker et al 2004, table 4; Brophy and Noble 2020,191) – remains the richest-appointed Early Bronze Age grave in Perth and Kinross, and one of the richest in Scotland. It may well be the grave of a local leader, whose body was carried ceremoniously to its prestigious resting place. It is not the only high-status grave from the 2200–2000/1950 BC period, however. The Dumglow log-coffin would have underlined the importance of its occupant, for example, and there are other cists with rare, socially-valued grave goods, as follows:
| Findspot; MOK and Canmore ID | Grave goods | Human remains | Comment; date cal BC at 95.4% probability | Key references |
| Drumlanrick (formerly in Perthshire) | bronze-bladed flat dagger | No info | Found 1870 | Anderson 1878, 456; Henshall 1968; Baker et al 2003, table 4 |
| Glenallan Cottages, Doune Road, Keir | bronze-bladed flat dagger | Unburnt, no details | Found before 1878; one of four short cists in a gravel mound | Croall 1879; Baker et al 2003, table 4 |
| Gairneybank, cist 1 (MPK5639) | bronze knife/knife-dagger; unusual small Food Vessel, | Unburnt, adult, sex not determinable | Cist in small ‘flat’ cemetery on a low gravel ridge. Bone: 3470±80 BP (GU-1118, 2019–1544) but most likely to date to 20th or 19th century BC on archaeological grounds | Cowie and Ritchie 1991; Baker et al 2003, table 4 |
| Letham Quarry, Tibbermuir (MPK2169) | bronze knife/knife-dagger | poorly-preserved inhumed remains | cist capstone is a reused slab of cupmarked rock | Coles 1897; Baker et al 2003, table 4 |
| Beech Hill House, Coupar Angus, cist 1 (MPK5042) | bone pommel of a (probably bronze) knife/knife-dagger | two deposits of cremated human remains, one a young male adult and the other, a sub-adult of indeterminate sex. Metal staining of the bone of the sub-adult suggests that the knife/knife-dagger had been associated with that individual. | sub-rectangular cist. A fragment of calcined bone dated to 3665±45 BP (GrA-19426: 2197–1924) | Stevenson 1995; Baker et al 2003, table 4 |
| Near Craigiehall ‘(Perthshire?)’; (No MPK/Canmore entry) | V-perforated ‘pulley’ belt ring of cannel coal, plus a V-perforated button of wood (which perished) | Unburnt remains: bones ‘were in a state of perfect powder’ but, by analogy with sexed individuals associated with pulley belt rings elsewhere had probably been a man. | Old discovery (1805); Some doubt as to whether Craigiehall is actually in Perthshire | Callander 1926, 261 |
| Abercairny (MPK1519) | parts of a jet spacer-plate necklace and flint knife | unburnt remains of a mature adult female (tentative sex ID) | Cist set into a natural knoll | Rideout et al 1987 |
| Easter Essendy cist 1 (MPK5487) | jet spacer-plate necklace; lugged Vase Food Vessel | Artefacts associated with the cremated remains of one of two adults of indeterminable sex | Both individuals were radiocarbon dated, as part of the NMS radiocarbon dating programme: 3710±35 BP (GrA-32131, 2204–1979) and 3630±35 BP (GrA-32133, 2133–1892) | Thoms 1980; Sheridan 2006, 205 |
| Almondbank, cist VII (MPK2064) | disc-and-fusiform bead necklace of jet and cannel coal; two flint flakes | unburnt remains of an adult (unsexed) | Bone: 3517±50 BP (SRR-591, 2014–1693); most likely to be 20th or 19th century | Stewart and Barclay 1997, 24–33 |
| Almondbank, cist IX (MPK2064) | disc-and-fusiform bead necklace of jet and cannel coal; fine flint knife | None present in cist; assumed to have been unburnt body | Stewart and Barclay 1997, 24–33 | |
| Doune (formerly in Perthshire, now Stirling) | Miniature stone battle-axehead and two Food Vessels, on small, one normal-sized | Unburnt remains of child, 5–9, sex ID’d (through aDNA) as male | Bone: 3400±35 BP (SUERC-2869, 1872–1547) | Hamilton 1957; McLaren 2004; Olalde et al 2018; Sheridan et al 2018b |
| Glenhead, Doune (formerly in Perthshire, now Stirling) | Miniature stone macehead and Food Vessel | Unburnt remains of female 15–21 | Attempts to date the bone frustrated by contamination from consolidant | Anderson 1883; Koon and McCulloch 2003; McLaren 2004 |
| Williamston, St Martins (MPK3676) | Ribbed bronze bangle/armlet | Unburnt remains | Callander 1919 |
These Early Bronze Age assemblages stand out from their 2200–1900/1800 BC contemporaries. Usually, the only grave good present is a pot (unless perished organic artefacts had been present) or one or two flint artefacts, and often no artefacts have been found in Early Bronze Age graves. The association of high-status grave goods – a miniature battle-axehead and a miniature macehead, respectively – with a child and a teenager or young adult at Doune suggests that high status was ascribed, rather than or as well as achieved, in Early Bronze Age society.
There are two cases in Perth and Kinross where pig bones representing joints of pork have been found in Early Bronze Age cists, as a food offering for the deceased on their journey to the Afterlife. These are from Gairneybank cist 3 (MPK5639; Cowie and Ritchie 1991) and Muirhall Farm (Stewart and Barclay 1997, 43–4). Also present in the Muirhall Farm cist were a fine flint knife and, intriguingly (given the inland location of the site) spines of a sea urchin, which may have been deposited as an amulet.
When cremation became the norm, around the 19th century BC, there are fewer expressions of social differentiation in grave form or grave goods. The most common objects found with deposits of calcined bone (other than cinerary urns or accessory vessels) are burnt bone pins and toggles, probably used to fasten a funerary garment or shroud.
The items that were, exceptionally, deposited along with cremated remains between 1900 BC and 1600/1500 BC include bronze razors, flint barbed-and-tanged arrowheads, bronze awls and beads of faience and bone. Table 4.2 lists some of these, but does not claim to be exhaustive. While bone beads may appear to be relatively humble objects, the fact that they are not more commonly encountered may mean that they, like the other artefacts, were used as a form of social differentiation, perhaps with an implication of special status. At Kilmagadwood, the association of some of these grave goods with children suggests that, just as earlier in the Early Bronze Age, status was ascribed, rather than (or as well as) achieved.
| Findspot and Canmore ID | Grave goods | Context; associated pottery? Burnt bone pin or toggle present? | ID of calcined bones; date cal BC at 95.4% probability; comment | Reference |
| Kilmagadwood, Urn 12 (MPK18535) | two fragments of one or two burnt bone beads; copper staining on human bone (from former presence of small metal artefact, probably bronze) | In inverted Collared Urn, in pit; no pin or toggle | Adult, possibly male, and juvenile, 6–10 years, indeterminate sex | Sheridan et al 2018a |
| Kilmagadwood, Urn 8 (MPK18535) | Fragment of burnt, ‘corrugated’ antler object of indeterminate form and function, plus metal staining on human bone and burnt bone and horn core fragment of young sheep – possibly a food offering | In inverted Collared Urn, in pit; no pin or toggle | Child, 3–6 years, indeterminate sex | Sheridan et al 2018a |
| Kilmagadwood, Urn 3 (MPK18535) | two fragments of one or two tubular sheet bronze bead/s (Fig [36]) | In inverted Cordoned Urn, in pit; no pin or toggle | Young adult female | Sheridan et al 2018a |
| Kilmagadwood, Urn 15 (MPK18535) | Bronze tanged razor, burnt; burnt sheep bone fragments | In inverted Cordoned Urn, in pit; no pin or toggle | Adult, possibly male | Sheridan et al 2018a |
| Kilmagadwood, Urn 20 (MPK18535) | Bronze tanged razor and bronze awl, both burnt | In inverted Cordoned Urn, in pit; no pin or toggle | Adult, possibly female; infant around 18 months | Sheridan et al 2018a |
| Kilmagadwood, Urn 18 (MPK18535) | Burnt segmented faience bead | In Bipartite Urn | Sub-adult, 7–9 years, indeterminate sex | Sheridan et al 2018a |
| Broich Road, Crieff, pit 043 (MPK18471) | Bronze tanged razor, unburnt | In Cordoned Urn, inverted, in pit. No pin or toggle | Mature adult male 3352±30 BP (SUERC-46244, 1740–1530) | Sheridan 2014a |
| Broich Road, Crieff, pit 003 (MPK18471) | Bronze tanged razor, decorated, unburnt | Un-urned deposit in pit. No pin or toggle | 3400±27 BP (SUERC-46237, 1760–1620) | Sheridan 2014a |
| Broich Road, Crieff, pit 031 (MPK18471) | Bronze tanged razor, unburnt, deposited in a sheath | Un-urned deposit in pit. No pin or toggle | 3293±28 BP (SUERC-46239, 1640–1490) | Sheridan 2014a |
| Broich Road, Crieff, pit 10 (MPK18471) | Set of seven fine flint barbed-and-tanged arrowheads, unburnt | Human remains probably deposited in a bag, in a pit. No pin or toggle | Clarke 2013 | |
| Broich Road, Crieff, oval deposit <18> (MPK18471) | Burnt bone bead, oblate | Oval deposit of cremated remains, not in pit. No pin or toggle | Sheridan 2014b | |
| Shanwell (MPK1816) | Tanged bronze razor, decorated, unburnt | From deposit of calcined human bones in a pit in a small cemetery that also contained deposits in Cordoned Urns. No pin or toggle | Anderson 1885 | |
| Haugh of Grandtully, pit 1 (MPK6035) | Fine leaf-shaped, bifacially-flaked flint point, burnt | In inverted Collared Urn in a pit. Heat-affected (but not calcined) bone pin present | Remains of three sub-adults, 5–12. Date of 3220±100 BP obtained in 1980s, but is from Gakusan laboratory and is suspect. Material dated is not specified | Simpson and Coles 1990 |
| Haugh of Grandtully, pit 33 (MPK6035) | Set of five flint barbed-and-tanged arrowheads, burnt | Un-urned deposit in pit, its upper part stone-lined | Adult, ‘possibly female’ (but would need to be re-assessed osteologically, as arrowheads are normally a male association) | Simpson and Coles 1990 |
