Highlights of Scotland

From the book "Scotland BC" by Anna Ritchie (Edinburgh: HMSO; 1988, 1994), on page 59:

This is one of the most curious of ancient monuments -- small, compact and orderly. It stands on a tongue of gravel that was formerly almost surrounded by bogland, a desolate setting to which all the stones had to be carried or dragged from the higher ground. There is a sense of precise purpose, for within the low circle of eight granite boulders are eight tiny kerb-cairns, each outlined by a necklace of eleven stones -- except for one that has only nine. The largest cairn is set at the centre of the circle and has a double kerb.

Excavation showed that fire had played a part in the ceremonies of building: once the circle and the eight kerb-rings were in position, willow brances had been laid between them and set on fire. Inside the rings were laid tokens of burnt human bones and charcoal, covered over by stones.

<=== Some stone circle, west of Aberdeen, where you came from.

 
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last modified: 6 March 2000