A stone circle is a monument of stones arranged in a circle or ellipse. Such monuments have been constructed in many parts of the world throughout history for many different reasons. The best known tradition of stone circle construction occurred across the British Isles and Brittany in the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, with over 1000 surviving examples, including Avebury, the Ring of Brodgar and Stonehenge. Another prehistoric tradition occurred in southern Scandinavia during the Iron Age, where stone circles were built to be mortuary monuments to the dead. Outside of Europe, examples of stone circles include the 6300~6900 BCE Atlit Yam in Israel and 3000~4000 BCE Gilgal Refaim nearby, and the Bronze Age monuments in Hong Kong.
This is an incomplete photographic list of these stone circles.
Britain, Ireland and Brittany
Aubrey Burl's gazetteer lists 1,303 stone circles in Britain, Ireland and Brittany. The majority of these are found in Scotland, with 508 sites recorded. There are 316 in England; 187 in Ireland; 156 in Northern Ireland; 81 in Wales; 49 in Brittany; and 6 in the Channel Isles.[1]
Channel Islands
Aubrey Burl records six sites in the Channel Islands, four on Guernsey and two on Jersey. All six are Cist-in-Circle monuments, which are influenced by chambered tomb design. Their relationship with the stone circle tradition of Britain, Ireland and Brittany is unclear.[2]
Guernsey
Jersey
England
Cornwall
Cumbria
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Castlerigg – A 33m diameter ring consisting of 38 stones. |
Derbyshire
Devon
Dorset
Shropshire
Somerset
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Stanton Drew – One of three circles located near the village of Stanton Drew. |
Warwickshire
West Yorkshire
Wiltshire
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Avebury – A large stone circle surround the village of Avebury. |
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Stonehenge – A World Heritage site. |
Northern Ireland
Down
Fermanagh
Tyrone
Republic of Ireland
There are 187 stone circles in the Republic of Ireland. The vast majority of these are in County Cork, which has 103 circles. There are 20 circles in County Kerry and 11 in County Mayo.[3]
Cork
Donegal
Kerry
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Kenmare stone circle |
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Lissyvigeen stone circle |
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Shronebirrane stone circle |
Scotland
Aberdeenshire
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Cullerlie Stone Circle near Echt, Aberdeenshire. |
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Kirkton of Bourtie Recumbent Stone Circle, Aberdeenshire: grid reference NJ 80091 24883. |
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Hill of Fiddes Recumbent Stone Circle, Aberdeenshire: grid reference NJ 9350 2432. |
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Inschfield Recumbent Stone Circle, Aberdeenshire: grid reference NJ 6233 2934. |
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Loudon Wood Recumbent Stone Circle, Aberdeenshire: grid reference NJ 96105 49740. |
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Midmar Kirk Recumbent Stone Circle, Aberdeenshire: grid reference NJ 69940 06493. |
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Old Keig Stone Circle, Aberdeenshire: grid reference NJ 5965 1939. |
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New Craig Recumbent Stone Circle, Aberdeenshire: grid reference NJ 7455 2966. |
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The Nine Stanes, Aberdeenshire: grid reference NO 7233 9122. |
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Potterton Recumbent Stone Circle, Aberdeenshire: grid reference NJ95291636. |
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South Ley Lodge Recumbent Stone Circle, Aberdeenshire: grid reference NJ76671325. |
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St Brandan's Stanes, Aberdeenshire: grid reference NJ60756105. |
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Stonehead Recumbent Stone Circle, Aberdeenshire: grid reference NJ60102869. |
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Tillyfourie Recumbent Stone Circle, Aberdeenshire: grid reference NJ64311350. |
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Tomnaverie Recumbent Stone Circle, Aberdeenshire. |
Angus
Argyll and Bute
Dumfries and Galloway
Aubrey Burl lists 43 stone circles in Dumfries and Galloway: 15 in Dumfriesshire; 19 in Kirkcudbrightshire; and 9 in Wigtonshire.[3] The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland records 49 stone circles in the region. Of these 49, 24 are listed as 'possible'; one is an 18th-century construction; and a number have been destroyed.[4]
North Ayrshire
The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland records 20 stone circles in North Ayrshire, all on Arran.[5] Five of these are listed as 'possible'.[5] Aubrey Burrel's gazetteer records 19 stone circles on Arran.[3]
Orkney
There are two stone circles on Orkney, both on the Mainlaind.[6] The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland records a possible third at Stoneyhill, also on the Mainland.[7]
Scottish Borders
The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland records 16 stone circles in the Scottish Borders. Of these, three are marked as 'possible'.[8] Aubrey Burl's gazetteer lists the same number: 2 in Berwickshire; 2 in Peebleshire; 10 in Roxburghshire; and 2 in Selkirkshire.[3]
Shetland
Aubrey Burl's gazetteer lists seven sites in Shetland, but notes that all are dubious.[9] The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland records three stone circles.[10] It does not include Hjaltadans, which is instead categorised as a 'stone setting'.[11]
Western Isles
Wales
Israel and The Golan Heights
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Atlit Yam (6300-7000 BCE: oldest known in the world, as of 2014) – Located south of Haifa. |
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Gilgal Refaim (4~3000 BCE) – Located northeast of Lake Kinneret. |
Poland
See also
References
- ↑ Aubrey, Burl (2000). The Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany. New Haven; London: Yale University Press. p. 395.
- ↑ Burl, Aubrey (2000). The Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany. New Haven; London: Yale University Press. p. 403.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Burl, Aubrey (2000). The Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany. New Haven; London: Yale University Press. p. 394.
- ↑ "Canmore Advanced Search: Stone Circle: Dumfries and Galloway". Retrieved 2014-12-31.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Canmore Advanced Search: Stone Circle: North Ayrshire". Retrieved 2015-03-19.
- ↑ Burl, Aubrey (2000). The Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany. New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 210.
- ↑ "Canmore: Stoneyhill". Retrieved 2015-03-19.
- ↑ "Canmore Advanced Search: Stone Circle: Scottish Borders". Retrieved 2014-12-31.
- ↑ Burl, Aubrey (2005). A Guide to the Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany. New Haven; London: Yale University Press. p. 214.
- ↑ "Canmore Advanced Search: Stone Circle: Shteland Islands". Retrieved 2015-01-12.
- ↑ "Canmore: Fetlar, Gravins, Fidler's Crus". Retrieved 2015-01-12.
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