Overview
- A long-lost stone cist at Rhubodach on the Isle of Bute was rediscovered in 2022 by a farmer, decades after an initial 19th-century notice of the site.
- Osteological study identifies the upper burial as a 35–50-year-old male about 5ft 6in in good health and the lower as a female adolescent or very young adult, with both skulls missing.
- Radiocarbon dates place both deaths after 2250 BC, with the upper burial occurring shortly after or within a few generations of the lower interment.
- Isotopic results indicate little marine protein in the diet, pointing to a predominantly land-based subsistence.
- Declared through Treasure Trove and allocated to National Museums Scotland in September, the remains are now curated at the new SAHRC-equipped facility in Granton with expanded capacity and upgraded research tools.