Monument record MWE149900 - Knockaird

The Souterrain was discover during development work for a new dwelling. A rescue excavation was carried out by CnES Archaeology Service and AOC.
Souterrain was on an east/west orientation, with total dimensions of 6.60 m x 1.20 m x 1.40 m. It lay under c.0.5 m of topsoil. The souterrain structure, was comprised of three distinct segments: the entrance staircase; the doorway and the main souterrain chamber, all capped with stones.
The entrance and staircase had been backfilled up to the doorway of the chamber in antiquity. The assemblage recovered comprised of a small number of lithics and coarse stone objects. Numerous ceramic sherds were recovered, many of which were decorated. Prior to further Post Ex anaylsis this assemblage appears to indicate a probable Middle Iron Age date.
K.Murphy (Archaeologist CnES) 17/09/2018


The post-excavation programme commissioned in 2023 aimed to provide information about the date of the souterrain and place it in its wider context. The radiocarbon dates successfully established that the souterrain dated to the Iron Age period and suggested that a separate infilling event occurred in the post-medieval to modern era. Analysis of the 264 ceramic sherds determined that the fragments represent a minimum of twenty-three different vessels, comprised predominantly of large jar-shaped vessels with everted, slightly out-turned rims, with sherds from five decorated vessels, all long lived examples for the Hebrides. All the vessels were strap or coil built, most tempered with fine sand, and several show particularly skilful form and finish. The decoration included both incised decorations and herringbone and wavy cordons. No residues of burned food were observed, and most of the carbon was found on the exterior of vessels, indicating contact with an open hearth. The work undertaken at Knockaird Souterrain, with the support of the landowner and Kevin Murphy from CnES Archaeology Service, is one of the more comprehensive investigations of these types of features in the locality and has added to growing corpus of information relating to the approximately 80 known souterrain sites in the Western Isles.
Further imagery & information can be found using this link - https://insitu.org.uk/2025/04/21/knockaird-souterrain/
AOC Archaeology 25/03/2025
KM (Arch Service) 02/10/2025

AOC Archaeology Group, 2018, 7c Knockaird, Ness. Isle of Lewis. (Unpublished document). SWE41210.

AOC Archaeology Group, 2023-2025, 7c Knockaird, Ness. Isle of Lewis. (Unpublished document). SWE41386.