Standing Stones Of Stenness Orkney

Title

Standing Stones Of Stenness Orkney

Artist

Roger Wedegis

Medium

Photograph - Photograph

Description

The surviving stones are sited on a promontory at the south bank of the stream that joins the southern ends of the sea loch Loch of Stenness and the freshwater Loch of Harray. The stream is now bridged, but at one time was crossed by a stepping stone causeway, and the Ring of Brodgar lies about 3/4 mile away to the north-west, across the stream and near the tip of the isthmus formed between the two lochs. Maeshowe chambered cairn is about 3/4 mile to the east of the Standing Stones of Stenness and several other Neolithic monuments also lie in the vicinity, suggesting that this area had particular importance.
The stones are thin slabs, approximately 1 ft thick. Four up to about 16 ft high, were originally elements of a stone circle of 12 stones, laid out in an ellipse about 104 ft diameter on a levelled platform of 144 ft diameter surrounded by a ditch. The ditch is cut into rock by as much as 7 ft depth and is 23 ft wide, surrounded by an earth bank, with a single entrance causeway on the north side. The entrance faces towards the Neolithic Barnhouse Settlement which has been found adjacent to the Loch of Harray. The Watch Stone stands outside the circle to the north-west and is 18 ft high. Other smaller stones include a square stone setting in the center of the circle platform where cremated bone, charcoal and pottery were found, and animal bones were found in the ditch. The pottery links the monument to Skara Brae and Maeshowe, and the site is thought to date from at least 3000 BC.

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July 28th, 2013

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