Highlights of Scotland

Some stone circle, west of Aberdeen

Scotland still has a large number of pre-historic sites: stone circles, brochs, houses, tombs, rock carvings, etc. The precise origin and function of most of these sites is a mystery because the peoples that build them left no written history. On this page you find three stone circles in the area west of Aberdeen, but there are more much more examples of pre-historic sites, some of which I visited myself. Undoubtably the most impressive were Standing Stones of Callanish (on Lewis), but also the Kilmartin Glen and Orkney show a wonderful collection of pre-historic sites.
===> a page with some more pre-historic sites: an earth house and the Stones of Stenness.

Links to Web sites about the latter two:
  ===> Kilmartin House
  ===> Sigurd Towrie's Orkney

Click on the pictures for a larger version


Tomnaverie: the remains of a recumbent stone circle. The information sign of Historic Scotland (who takes care of this site) reads:
Recumbent stone circles, such as this, are only found in north-east Scotland. The are characterised by a large slab placed horizontally between two flanking uprights on the circumference of the circle and a low burial cairn in the centre. These stone circles were made or used probably about 1800-1600 B.C.
The recumbent is the large stone at the back on the right; it is about 90 centimetres high and some 2-3 metres long. The next picture shows a clearer example:


Recumbent stone circle at Midmar Kirk. The recumbent is 4.5 metres long and can be seen in the background at the centre.
The text on the information sign at this site tells more about recumbent stone circles in general and this one in particular. I have translated that text also in Dutch (in het Nederlands dus).


Cullerlie: a circle of eight undressed boulder encloses an area consecrated by fires on which eight small cairns ringed by stones were built, probably about 2000 B.C. Two of the cairns contain pits and two other cists. Because the site has been disturbed before, excavations in 1934 revealed only burnt bones, charcoal, and part of a flat knife.
Some more information in English and that text translated in Dutch (Nederlands).

This map (17 kb) shows with a red square where these three photos were taken; date: 28 September 1996.

Go (back) to: Main Scotland page # Stay in Dundee page # Scotland photo index

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last modified: 6 March 2000