Important Events in Hebridean History
Bronze Age Burial
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Time Team artist Victor Ambrus's reconstructions of burials in a Bronze Age family cemetery at Allathasdal, Isle of Barra
That's another child lost. It breaks my heart to think of her lying in that cold stone cist, with the remains of our brothers and sisters. Six little ones gone now. Some lived only a few seasons, some died soon after birth, and some never lived to draw a breath. But they were all given beautiful names, every one, and we have buried them here in our burial place with as much love and care as we could.
When my father's sister died, we made a fine place for her in the ground, lined with good stones. She looked peaceful, curled up as if she was asleep. We put some food there for her and, by her head, a pot with a special drink in it to help her on her journey. Then we covered her over with big slabs, and made a cairn of pretty pebbles over it, so we would not forget her.
But the place for the babies is so tiny, it would make you weep.
I am the lucky one. I stayed alive before and during birth, and in the years after. Even when the great hunger came, I was the one it did not take, although I thought I would die. But now it is lonely with no-one to play with, and our parents always sad.
Things will get better in the summer. The rain will stop, the sheep will fatten and the harvest must be better this time. And a new child will be born in the spring. We have survived here for many generations, as this ancient burial place shows, and we must not fail now. When I am a man I wish for many strong, healthy children, boys and girls, to people this place from shore to shore forever.
Leanabh eile air a chall. Tha mo chridhe gus briseadh a' smaoineachadh oirre na sìneadh anns a' chiste fhuar chloiche ud, ri taobh duslach ar bràithrean agus ar peathraichean. Sianar bheaga air falbh a-nis. Cuid dhiubh nach robh beò ach ràith no dhà, cuid dhiubh a bhàsaich goirid an dèidh am breith, agus cuid nach do tharraing anail a-riamh. Ach chaidh ainmean brèagha a thoirt air a h-uile duine aca, agus tha sinn air an adhlacadh an seo anns a' chladh le gach gràdh agus cùram.
Nuair a bhàsaich piuthar m' athar, rinn sinn àite grinn dhi anns an talamh, air a lìnigeadh le clachan math. Chanadh tu gun robh i aig fois, mar gun robh i na cadal. Chuir sinn biadh ann agus, ri taobh a cinn, poit le deoch shònraichte airson a cuideachadh air an t-slighe. An uairsin chuir sinn leacan mòra oirre, agus rinn sinn càrn de chlachan-muil brèagha air a muin, airson a cumail nar cuimhne.
Ach tha àite nam pàistean cho beag, 's gun toireadh e na deòir bho do shùilean.
Tha mise fortanach. Thàinig mi tro gach ìre mus do rugadh mi agus suas tro na bliadhnachan an dèidh sin. Fiù 's nuair a thàinig an t-acras mòr, 's mise a chaidh fhàgail, ged a bha dùil agam gum bàsaichinn. Ach tha e aonaranach a-nis gun duine a chluicheas còmhla rium, agus tha ar pàrantan daonnan brònach.
Bidh cùisean nas fheàrr as t-samhradh. Stadaidh an t-uisge, fàsaidh na caoraich reamhar agus 's iongantach mura bi am foghar nas fheàrr an turas seo. Agus bidh leanabh eile air a bhreith as t-earrach. Tha sinn air a thighinn beò an seo thar iomadh linn, mar a chithear bhon t-seann chladh seo, agus chan fhaod sinn fannachadh a-nis. Nuair a bhios mi mòr tha mi ag iarraidh mòran chloinne làidir fallain, balaich agus clann-nighean, gus an t-àite seo a lìonadh le sluagh bho cheann gu ceann.
Associated Locations
This event is associated with some locations in the Hebrides. For more details on these, see the list below, or go to the Interactive Explorer.
