Ranger Fraser MacKechnie with the object at the site of its discovery
A charity is asking for help to solve a mountain mystery.
The National Trust for Scotland is appealing for ideas as to what purpose was served by an object that was found by one of its rangers on the most southerly munro.
The large iron band was found by Fraser McKechnie by a burn on Ben Lomond. It is more than a metre in diameter and the charity estimates it was made within the last 100 years. Although slightly corroded, it is still in a good condition.
Theories advanced so far are that the item may have been a barrel hoop or part of a cartwheel tyre. It was discovered close to an old building above Ardess, Rowardennan.
Derek Alexander, archaeologist for the National Trust for Scotland, said: “We’d very much appreciate possible suggestions for what this object could be, as our current ideas do not wholly satisfy us. It was found about 15m away from the foundations of a small stone building between two burns, which may have been the location of a former mill.”
Any grough readers with an idea of what purpose the band may have served can post a comment below and we will pass them on to the National Trust for Scotland.
Simon Turner
25 June 2010Is there any gold in the area as I have seen similar objects in the hills above the Mawddach in west Wales. I think they are part of a panning process to separate the metal from the silt? If so there should be a series of them.
Derek Alexander
25 June 2010Hi Simon,
we haven't heard of gold on Ben Lomond but there is up at Tyndrum not far from the north end of the loch. Are the objects you've seen at Mawddach also circular?
Cheers
Derek Alexander, NTS Archaeologist West
Bob
25 June 2010According to a statement in 2008 by Scotgold, the company that plans to develop the Cononish gold mine at Tyndrum: "There is also strong potential to prove up resources within Scotgold Resources’ licence areas, along the regional Tyndrum and Loch Tay Fault Zones, generally within 70 km of the Cononish site."
An accompanying map defining the Dalradian Metamorphic complex with gold potential includes all of Loch Lomond north of the Highland Boundary Fault, ie from Inchcailloch north, which certainly includes the area where the ring was found. So it is possible that there have been gold explorations in the past.
Bob Smith
Editor
simon Turner
25 June 2010They were circular and of similar size to your find. There were three in a row and I understand they were used to progressively filter the material, the lst one of the three having the gold residue in it mixed with very fine silt. I will see if I can get a picture.