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Righ Lochlainn (Uamh) [Canna]

Canna, Invernessshire.

Not a cave. The clue comes from the alternative name Uaigh Righ Lochlainn (King of Norway's Grave). This is thought to be either a ship burial or a kelp kiln.

These 'structures' are all marked by two parallel lines of contiguous stones on edge, some slightly curved, generally 1.0m to 1.5m apart, and varying in length between 3.5m and 26.0m. They have no common orientation. The ends of some are formed by a single boulder, and others by two or three stones on edge. None has any trace of a covering mound, although most protrude through a heavy turf or peat cover. A few have a more recent appearance, but these all occur on the shore where they are in close-cropped turf. They occur both on level ground and on slopes. It is probable that some near the shore-line are kelp kilns, but no certain identification of any of the structures is possible. They do not seem to mark burial places. [OS]

Previously classified as 'Viking burials' and buildings; name cited as Rudha Langaninnis. Reclassified as Structures and name amended to Rubha Langanes.

A rectangular setting of stones on sloping ground at NG 2407 0658 and generally as described by the RCAHMS. About 20.0m to the NNE, on the flat, is a similar but smaller structure oriented in the same direction and measuring 3.5m by 1.4m transversely. About 110.0m NNE is a third, facing down the slope, measuring 7.7m NNW- SSE by 2.6m at the S end (which appears to be curved) and contracting to 1.9m at the N end which is square.

(NG 2411 0659). (Information from private 6"map of T C Lethbridge 1953). A kerb of stones is all that remains of a burial cairn of the Viking period on a strip of machair below the cliffs at Rudha Langaninnis. The kerb, of smallish stones set fairly close together, encloses an area 32ft NW-SE by 6 1/2ft NE-SW. Two similar burials have been found in Arran and Colonsay, dated by coin finds to the 9th century AD. [RCHAMS]

Alternative Names: Righ Lochlainn (Uaigh), King of Norway's Grave, Rudha Langaninnis, Rubha Langanes

Notes: Gofraid, King of Lochlann was a key figure in the emergence of Norse influence in Scotland and one of the early Kings of the Isles and of that dominated the Irish Sea and environs in the Early Middle Ages.

In the modern Gaelic languages, Lochlann signifies Scandinavia or, more specifically, Norway. As such it is cognate with the Welsh name for Scandinavia, Llychlyn. In both old Gaelic and old Welsh, such names literally mean 'land of lakes' or 'land of swamps'. [Wikipedia]