Cullerlie Stone Circle

Echt, United Kingdom

Cullerlie stone circle, also known as the Standing Stones of Echt, consists of eight irregular stones of red granite arranged at approximately equal intervals to form a circle of 10.2 m diameter, enclosing the same number of small cairns. 

At the time that the circle was built in the second millennium BC, the surrounding landscape was characterised by wet bogs, and the stones were transported to the site from higher ground some distance away. The tallest of the stones marks the north side of the circle. A 2004 survey of the site discovered that several of the stones had been carved with previously unnoticed cup marks.

References:

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 2000 BC
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in United Kingdom

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Kes Wells (2 years ago)
Very well maintained..easy to access from road with nearby parking. Great site to visit in Aberdeenshire
Donnie Mann (2 years ago)
Difficult to rate something like this, but it was clean, grass well cut, and useful interesting info boards. The site is just a simple Bronze-Age stone circle. Archeologically interesting, but there's not really any other reason to visit. It's free though, and there's a good sized layby for parking.
BringItOnGames (2 years ago)
A nice find if you interested in historical places and items. Place has parking on side of the road next to the entrance.
2 Cats (2 years ago)
Love all ancient stone circles. This one is different to most in the North East. Not a recumbent, and it has multiple burial sites within the larger standing stones. Worth a visit.
Kazza (3 years ago)
Historical site of interest, in a very peaceful location!
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Monte d'Accoddi

Monte d"Accoddi is a Neolithic archaeological site in northern Sardinia, located in the territory of Sassari. The site consists of a massive raised stone platform thought to have been an altar. It was constructed by the Ozieri culture or earlier, with the oldest parts dated to around 4,000–3,650 BC.

The site was discovered in 1954 in a field owned by the Segni family. No chambers or entrances to the mound have been found, leading to the presumption it was an altar, a temple or a step pyramid. It may have also served an observational function, as its square plan is coordinated with the cardinal points of the compass.

The initial Ozieri structure was abandoned or destroyed around 3000 BC, with traces of fire found in the archeological evidence. Around 2800 BC the remains of the original structure were completely covered with a layered mixture of earth and stone, and large blocks of limestone were then applied to establish a second platform, truncated by a step pyramid (36 m × 29 m, about 10 m in height), accessible by means of a second ramp, 42 m long, built over the older one. This second temple resembles contemporary Mesopotamian ziggurats, and is attributed to the Abealzu-Filigosa culture.

Archeological excavations from the chalcolithic Abealzu-Filigosa layers indicate the Monte d"Accoddi was used for animal sacrifice, with the remains of sheep, cattle, and swine recovered in near equal proportions. It is among the earliest known sacrificial sites in Western Europe.

The site appears to have been abandoned again around 1800 BC, at the onset of the Nuragic age.

The monument was partially reconstructed during the 1980s. It is open to the public and accessible by the old route of SS131 highway, near the hamlet of Ottava. It is 14,9 km from Sassari and 45 km from Alghero. There is no public transportation to the site. The opening times vary throughout the year.