Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: henge

Cairnpapple Hill is home to a prehistoric monument. The plateau on the 312 metre high hill south of Linlithgow, was used as a burial ground and place of worship between around 3000 and 1400 BC. Excavations towards the end of the 1940s revealed the complete chronology of the elements on the mound. The first activity on the mound consisted of the placement of three menhirs in the centre of an arc of small pits containing cremated human bones. This cemetery was located within an oval henge monument with a ditch and rampart built around 3000 BC, in which a circle of 24 menhirs was erected. Centuries later, the type of use changed and burials took place in a chambered tomb, which was erected in the western section of the henge and covered by a round mound. The grave was the resting place of an important person whose face was covered with a kind of mask. Next to her lay a wooden club. A drinking cup lay at the head and foot of the grave. The stone mound was later enlarged to accommodate two urns.

Ballymeanoch is located in the Kilmartin Glen, an area with one of the richest concentrations of prehistoric monuments in Scotland. Ballymeanoch is a megalithic formation consisting of two parallel stone rows and a Neolithic henge which was surrounded by a stone circle of smaller stones. In the centre of the henge are two stone boxes. A small cairn lies near the stone rows. The site was excavated in 1864. The Ballymeanoch henge lies in a field not far from the stone row. The henge is approximately 40 metres in diameter.

The Stones of Stenness are located between Loch of Stenness and Loch of Harray, about 1.5 kilometres south-east of the Ring of Brodgar. The erection of the stones was dated by radiocarbon dating to 3100 BC, making Stenness one of the earliest stone circles in Britain. Four of the 12 stones of the inner circle are still standing today. The henge lacks the surrounding ditch and rampart. Excavations have shown that the ditch was 4 metres wide and 2.3 metres deep. The four remaining stones form an oval with a diameter of 30 metres. In the centre is a large fireplace that is still visible today. There is still a paved path, several upright stones, apparently another hearth. Pottery and animal bones found during excavations show that the Neolithic builders regularly cooked and ate at the site. The stones are around five metres high, the highest over 5.7 metres, and a maximum of 30 cm thick. They stand on a level that was surrounded by an almost closed ditch, 6 metres wide and 2.3 metres deep, cut into the sandstone of the subsoil. Around the ditch, the ends of which are round in the passage area, there is the remains of an earth wall with a diameter of 44 metres and an entrance on the north side. In 1814, a farmer tried to destroy the stones because visitors to the stone circle kept trampling on his field. He destroyed the ‘Odin Stone’ further away, overturned one of the stones inside the arrangement and damaged others. In 1906, the fallen stone was erected again. A smaller stone was found, which was also erected. However, there is speculation as to whether the smaller stone was part of the arrangement at all.

The Stones of Stenness are located between Loch of Stenness and Loch of Harray, about 1.5 kilometres south-east of the Ring of Brodgar. The erection of the stones was dated by radiocarbon dating to 3100 BC, making Stenness one of the earliest stone circles in Britain. Four of the 12 stones of the inner circle are still standing today. The henge lacks the surrounding ditch and rampart. Excavations have shown that the ditch was 4 metres wide and 2.3 metres deep. The four remaining stones form an oval with a diameter of 30 metres. In the centre is a large fireplace that is still visible today. There is still a paved path, several upright stones, apparently another hearth. Pottery and animal bones found during excavations show that the Neolithic builders regularly cooked and ate at the site. The stones are around five metres high, the highest over 5.7 metres, and a maximum of 30 cm thick. They stand on a level that was surrounded by an almost closed ditch, 6 metres wide and 2.3 metres deep, cut into the sandstone of the subsoil. Around the ditch, the ends of which are round in the passage area, there is the remains of an earth wall with a diameter of 44 metres and an entrance on the north side. In 1814, a farmer tried to destroy the stones because visitors to the stone circle kept trampling on his field. He destroyed the ‘Odin Stone’ further away, overturned one of the stones inside the arrangement and damaged others. In 1906, the fallen stone was erected again. A smaller stone was found, which was also erected. However, there is speculation as to whether the smaller stone was part of the arrangement at all.

The Stones of Stenness are located between Loch of Stenness and Loch of Harray, about 1.5 kilometres south-east of the Ring of Brodgar. The erection of the stones was dated by radiocarbon dating to 3100 BC, making Stenness one of the earliest stone circles in Britain. Four of the 12 stones of the inner circle are still standing today. The henge lacks the surrounding ditch and rampart. Excavations have shown that the ditch was 4 metres wide and 2.3 metres deep. The four remaining stones form an oval with a diameter of 30 metres. In the centre is a large fireplace that is still visible today. There is still a paved path, several upright stones, apparently another hearth. Pottery and animal bones found during excavations show that the Neolithic builders regularly cooked and ate at the site. The stones are around five metres high, the highest over 5.7 metres, and a maximum of 30 cm thick. They stand on a level that was surrounded by an almost closed ditch, 6 metres wide and 2.3 metres deep, cut into the sandstone of the subsoil. Around the ditch, the ends of which are round in the passage area, there is the remains of an earth wall with a diameter of 44 metres and an entrance on the north side. In 1814, a farmer tried to destroy the stones because visitors to the stone circle kept trampling on his field. He destroyed the ‘Odin Stone’ further away, overturned one of the stones inside the arrangement and damaged others. In 1906, the fallen stone was erected again. A smaller stone was found, which was also erected. However, there is speculation as to whether the smaller stone was part of the arrangement at all.

The Ring of Brodgar is a Neolithic henge and stone circle in Mainland, the largest island in Orkney. The ring of stones stands on a small isthmus between the Lochs of Stenness and Harray. It is thought to have been erected between 2500 BCE and 2000 BCE. With a diameter of 104 metres, it is larger than Stonehenge. Of the original 60 or so stones, 27 still remain. The stones are set within a circular ditch up to 3 metres deep, 9 metres wide and 380 metres in circumference that was carved out of the solid sandstone bedrock by the ancient residents. The ditch appears to have been created in sections, possibly by workforces from different parts of Orkney. The stones may have been a later addition, maybe erected over a long period of time.. I had learnt that there were runes carved on at least one of the stones. I didn't find them, I just found these graffiti

The Ring of Brodgar is a Neolithic henge and stone circle in Mainland, the largest island in Orkney. The ring of stones stands on a small isthmus between the Lochs of Stenness and Harray. It is thought to have been erected between 2500 BCE and 2000 BCE. With a diameter of 104 metres, it is larger than Stonehenge. Of the original 60 or so stones, 27 still remain. The stones are set within a circular ditch up to 3 metres deep, 9 metres wide and 380 metres in circumference that was carved out of the solid sandstone bedrock by the ancient residents. The ditch appears to have been created in sections, possibly by workforces from different parts of Orkney. The stones may have been a later addition, maybe erected over a long period of time..

The Ring of Brodgar is a Neolithic henge and stone circle in Mainland, the largest island in Orkney. The ring of stones stands on a small isthmus between the Lochs of Stenness and Harray. It is thought to have been erected between 2500 BCE and 2000 BCE. With a diameter of 104 metres, it is larger than Stonehenge. Of the original 60 or so stones, 27 still remain. The stones are set within a circular ditch up to 3 metres deep, 9 metres wide and 380 metres in circumference that was carved out of the solid sandstone bedrock by the ancient residents. The ditch appears to have been created in sections, possibly by workforces from different parts of Orkney. The stones may have been a later addition, maybe erected over a long period of time..

The Ring of Brodgar is a Neolithic henge and stone circle in Mainland, the largest island in Orkney. The ring of stones stands on a small isthmus between the Lochs of Stenness and Harray. It is thought to have been erected between 2500 BCE and 2000 BCE. With a diameter of 104 metres, it is larger than Stonehenge. Of the original 60 or so stones, 27 still remain. The stones are set within a circular ditch up to 3 metres deep, 9 metres wide and 380 metres in circumference that was carved out of the solid sandstone bedrock by the ancient residents. The ditch appears to have been created in sections, possibly by workforces from different parts of Orkney. The stones may have been a later addition, maybe erected over a long period of time..

The Ring of Brodgar is a Neolithic henge and stone circle in Mainland, the largest island in Orkney. The ring of stones stands on a small isthmus between the Lochs of Stenness and Harray. It is thought to have been erected between 2500 BCE and 2000 BCE. With a diameter of 104 metres, it is larger than Stonehenge. Of the original 60 or so stones, 27 still remain. The stones are set within a circular ditch up to 3 metres deep, 9 metres wide and 380 metres in circumference that was carved out of the solid sandstone bedrock by the ancient residents. The ditch appears to have been created in sections, possibly by workforces from different parts of Orkney. The stones may have been a later addition, maybe erected over a long period of time..

The Broomend of Crichie is a henge monument containing the remains of a stone circle and a Pictish symbol stone that was moved here. Old records show that the Broomend was once connected to a second, but now lost, stone circle by a stone avenue. It represents the remains of a ceremonial centre used from the late 3rd millennium BC until the Iron Age. The henge, the oldest part, is still recognisable, measuring around 35 m in diameter with two opposite passages in the rampart and several interruptions in the ditch. Today there are three menhirs within the henge. Two of the stones belong to a disturbed stone circle that was once part of the henge, consisting of six stones. The central Pictish symbol stone was ploughed out and erected here in the 19th century. It is engraved with a crescent moon and a hybrid creature. The reddish symbol stone could have been part of a double row of stones that led through the henge.

The Broomend of Crichie is a henge monument containing the remains of a stone circle and a Pictish symbol stone that was moved here. Old records show that the Broomend was once connected to a second, but now lost, stone circle by a stone avenue. It represents the remains of a ceremonial centre used from the late 3rd millennium BC until the Iron Age. The henge, the oldest part, is still recognisable, measuring around 35 m in diameter with two opposite passages in the rampart and several interruptions in the ditch. Today there are three menhirs within the henge. Two of the stones belong to a disturbed stone circle that was once part of the henge, consisting of six stones.

Balfarg and Balbirnie are apparently related prehistoric burial and cult sites. Before the Balbirnie site was relocated, they were located just 200 m apart from each other. The site was excavated before planned widening of the A92 road; the main features of the site were then re-erected nearby. There were five stones visible before excavation, the stumps of four stones and the hole of one stone were discovered. The original ten stones stood in an ellipse measuring about 15 by 14 metres around a rectangular setting of slabs measuring 3.25 by 3.75 metres. Three phases of use were established by the excavation. The rectangle of slabs and the stone circle are from the earliest period. Cremated bone was found beneath four of the circle-stones. At a later time, several cists were inserted within the circle. The cists were covered by a cairn of stones. Within the cairn, there were at least 16 cremation burials. It was concluded that the last phase was in the late second millennium BC.

Balfarg and Balbirnie are apparently related prehistoric burial and cult sites. Before the Balbirnie site was relocated, they were located just 200 m apart from each other. The site was excavated before planned widening of the A92 road; the main features of the site were then re-erected nearby. There were five stones visible before excavation, the stumps of four stones and the hole of one stone were discovered. The original ten stones stood in an ellipse measuring about 15 by 14 metres around a rectangular setting of slabs measuring 3.25 by 3.75 metres. Three phases of use were established by the excavation. The rectangle of slabs and the stone circle are from the earliest period. Cremated bone was found beneath four of the circle-stones. At a later time, several cists were inserted within the circle. The cists were covered by a cairn of stones. Within the cairn, there were at least 16 cremation burials. It was concluded that the last phase was in the late second millennium BC.

The Balfarg Henge serves as a centerpiece green space for the local area with modern housing surrounding the henge. The henge is part of a larger prehistoric complex. It contains the remnants of a stone circle which has been partly reconstructed. It was excavated prior to the development of a new housing estate, work which established that the two extant standing stones were part of a circle that stood within the henge. Within the 64.9 metres diameter henge were found broken Neolithic pottery, burnt wood and bone which had been dumped on the site prior to the erection of a 25 metres wide timber circle of 16 wooden posts. Grooved ware pottery found in the postholes dates to around 2900 BC. Later during the site's use the timber circle was replaced by two concentric stone circles, again with an entrance to the west and some time after this the henge was constructed. Around 1900 BC a pit was dug in the centre of the stone circles and in it was placed the body of a young man along with a flint knife and a handled beaker.

Avebury is a Neolithic henge monument containing three stone circles, around the village of Avebury. The site contains the largest megalithic stone circle in the world. Constructed over several hundred years in the third millennium BC, during the Neolithic Age, the monument comprises a large henge (a bank and a ditch) with a large outer stone circle and two separate smaller stone circles situated inside the centre of the monument. Its original purpose is unknown. During the Early Middle Ages, a village first began to be built around the monument, eventually extending into it. In the Late Medieval and Early Modern periods, local people destroyed many of the standing stones. Next to the circle is this shady meeting place.

Avebury is a Neolithic henge monument containing three stone circles, around the village of Avebury. The site contains the largest megalithic stone circle in the world. Constructed over several hundred years in the third millennium BC, during the Neolithic Age, the monument comprises a large henge (a bank and a ditch) with a large outer stone circle and two separate smaller stone circles situated inside the centre of the monument. Its original purpose is unknown. During the Early Middle Ages, a village first began to be built around the monument, eventually extending into it. In the Late Medieval and Early Modern periods, local people destroyed many of the standing stones.

Avebury is a Neolithic henge monument containing three stone circles, around the village of Avebury. The site contains the largest megalithic stone circle in the world. Constructed over several hundred years in the third millennium BC, during the Neolithic Age, the monument comprises a large henge (a bank and a ditch) with a large outer stone circle and two separate smaller stone circles situated inside the centre of the monument. Its original purpose is unknown. During the Early Middle Ages, a village first began to be built around the monument, eventually extending into it. In the Late Medieval and Early Modern periods, local people destroyed many of the standing stones.