Càrn na Marbh facts for kids

Càrn na Marbh is a special ancient mound in Fortingall, Perthshire, Scotland. Its name means "mound of the dead." This mound was first built a very long time ago, during the Bronze Age. It was a place where important people were buried.

Later, in the 1300s, Càrn na Marbh was used again. It became a burial site for people who died from a terrible sickness called the plague. This was done to keep them separate from the main church graveyard.

Càrn na Marbh: A Special Scottish Mound

Càrn na Marbh is more than just a burial site. It holds many stories and a special stone. This stone is called Clach a' Phlàigh, which means "the Plague Stone." It sits on top of the mound. Many believe it was an original standing stone from ancient times. It helps us remember the plague victims buried there.

The Plague Stone's Story

The Plague Stone has a tablet with a message. It tells a sad but interesting story:

“Here lie the victims of the Great Plague of the 14th Century, taken here on a sledge drawn by a white horse led by an old woman.”

This inscription gives us a glimpse into how people dealt with the plague long ago. It shows how they tried to respectfully bury those who passed away.

Ancient Festivals and Traditions

Local stories say that Càrn na Marbh was once a very important place for an old festival. This festival was called Samhain, which is like our modern Halloween.

• Each year, a huge bonfire, called a Samhnag, was lit on the mound.
• Everyone in the community would hold hands and dance around the blazing fire. They danced both clockwise and counter-clockwise.
• As the fire got smaller, younger boys would grab burning pieces. They would run around the field with them.
• Then, they would throw the embers into the air. They would dance over them as they glowed on the ground.
• When only the last embers were left, the boys had a jumping contest. They would leap over the remains of the fire. This was similar to another old festival called Beltane.
• After the fire fun, young people went home. They would play games like ducking for apples. They also tried to predict the future.
• Unlike some other places, there was no tradition of 'guising' (dressing up) here. The bonfire was the main event.
• These Samhain celebrations at Càrn na Marbh stopped in 1924.

Càrn na Marbh's Place in History

Càrn na Marbh is found in the same village as the famous Fortingall Yew tree. This tree is one of the oldest living things in Europe! The area around Fortingall is well-known for its ancient sites. You can find many Bronze Age burial mounds and old standing stones there.

The mound was likely a sacred place even before Christianity arrived. During the Dark Ages, it became a Christian site. This might have happened because people already saw it as special. Evidence from place names and old objects suggests that Fortingall was an important religious center in the Iron Age. The ancient Fortingall Yew tree might have been the main focus of this old belief system.