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Prehistoric Sites in
SCOTLAND
by Martin J. Powell
Page 2 of 2
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Temple Wood Stone Circle & Cist
County: Argyll (Strathclyde) Ordnance Survey Grid Ref: NR 826 978 O.S. Map (Multimap) |
A short distance East of Slockavullin is a circle of thirteen stones, some 42 ft (13 m) in diameter, surrounding a cairn with a stone cist at its centre. Several burials were found, concealed beneath the cairn material, during excavation in 1930.
The cist is orientated ca. 33 degrees towards an upright stone which has a double concentric circle carving on its outer face. Another stone at the North of the circle is decorated with a spiral motif.
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Glenquicken North Stone Circle
County: Kirkcudbrightshire (Dumfries & Galloway) O.S. Grid Ref: NX 509 582 O.S. Map (Multimap) |
This circle is 49 ft (15 m) in diameter and stands in open moorland 2 miles (3.3 km) East of Creetown. At the centre of the circle is a monolith which is 6 ft (1.8 m) in height.
Prof. Alexander Thom proposed that the line between this and a now destroyed circle nearby was aligned upon the rising of the star Antares in 1860 BC.
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Nether Largie South Chambered Cairn
County: Argyll (Strathclyde) O.S. Grid Ref: NR 828 979 O.S. Map (Multimap) |
Considered to be the oldest of a line of sites in the Kilmartin Valley, this tomb dates from the British Neolithic period (ca. 4400 - 2500 BC). The chamber is divided into four compartments and is orientated NNE-SSW. Cremations and pottery were found in the chamber during excavation in 1864.
Situated some 1900 ft (580 m) to the NNE, beyond the central cairn of the group, is the Nether Largie North Cairn (NR 830 984). It is 69 ft (21 m) in diameter and 10 ft (3 m) high. The rectangular central chamber can be accessed via a roof hatch. The underside of the capstone - now placed upright for public display - is decorated with around forty cupmarks. One of the end slabs also has two axe-head carvings.
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Kilneuair Church (St. Columba's Chapel) Disused Medieval Church
County: Argyll (Strathclyde) O.S. Grid Ref: NM 889 037 O.S. Map (Multimap) |
This is a ruinous 15th-century church located on a forest-covered hillside beside Loch Awe.
One of the stones built into the church has a hand carving of Neolithic type (see also Barrnakill Hands on Page 1) but the stone could not be located during the author's visit (however, a photograph of the handprint can be seen at the British Rock Art Collection website).
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Fowlis Wester West Stone Circle
County: Perthshire (Tayside) O.S. Grid Ref: NN 923 249 O.S. Map (Multimap) |
Slightly larger than its counterpart some 62 ft (19 m) to the East (see Page 1) this circle is elliptical in shape with its axis orientated towards the North-west. Alexander Thom suggested that it was orientated towards the most northerly position of the setting Moon, and that the line between the two circles indicated the equinoxes.
The site was excavated in 1939, when a cremation and scatters of quartz pebbles were found.
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Crarae Chambered Long Cairn
County: Argyllshire (Strathclyde) O.S. Grid Ref: NR 986 973 O.S. Map (Multimap) |
Located in Crarae Forest Garden on the northern shore of Loch Fyne, this is a ruinous trapezoid cairn of the Clyde group. It has a three-compartment chamber, a large post and panel type façade and a paved forecourt. The chamber is 13 ft (4.1 m) long by 5 ft (1.6 m) wide and the entrance faces towards the ENE.
During excavation in 1963, some 5,000 seashell remains were found in the chamber, representing fifteen different species. All had been eaten. |
Copyright Martin J Powell 2001-7
<< Prehistoric Sites in Scotland (Page 1)
|
Scotland: From Prehistory to the Present Fiona J. Watson |
Scotland's Hidden History Ian Armit |
Scottish Prehistory Richard Oram |
Scotland: Archaeology and Early History Graham Ritchie |
Scotland in Pagan Times: The Bronze and Stone Ages Joseph Anderson |
Kilmartin: A Guide to Scotland's Richest Prehistoric Landscape Rachel Butter |
Farmers, Temples and Tombs: Scotland in the Neolithic and Bronze Age Gordon Barclay |
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Prehistoric Sites in Britain - Photo Gallery |
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<< Aenigmatis Megalithic Index