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Just a fifteen minute drive from Millwood
House.
An unusual group of chambered cairns and ancient standing
stones dating back to 2,000 years BC- the Scottish early Bronze Age.
Experiments indicate that the passages were built in exact alignment with
sunset at the mid-winter solstice (as it was 4,000 years ago). It has been
identified that the stones in the passageway were progressively redder in
colour towards the south west, the direction of the sunset. The cairns are
unique in Scotland, and possibly in the world, in their combination of
standing stones and passage graves. The evidence for burial is actually
very sparse and some recent work suggests that the people who built the
cairns were ancient farmers for whom it would be particularly important to
know when the sun would be coming back over the horizon. They would have
had family experience and tradition to draw on, but it seems likely that
they would have liked some additional reassurance.
Why not visit Clava Cairns in the company of local
archaeologist and tour guide, Graham Robins and if this sparks your
interest, then further, tailor-made tours are available covering Moray and
the Northern Highlands and all periods of history. For more details e-mail
grobins@aol.com,or telephone on ++44
(0)1862 863214. |
