Unstan Chambered Cairn Stenness
Onston Cairn
Mid Neolithic (3450–2800 BCE)·Unstan Ware·🇬🇧 Orkney, Mainland, Stenness, United Kingdom
About
About Unstan Chambered Cairn Stenness
Loch of Stenness-shore cairn excavated by Clouston 1884, style-site for Unstan pottery, yielding crouched burials and Grooved Ware later. Recorded context — Period: Mid Neolithic (3450–2800 BCE); Culture: Unstan Ware; Field status: excavated; Materials: flagstone; Condition: preserved.
Why it mattersKey Unstan Ware megalithic with stratified sequence and regional typology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Collapse cause
- 02Astronomical alignment
Theories
- 01Territorial marker
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 3450 BCE
- Period
- Mid Neolithic (3450–2800 BCE)
- Culture
- Unstan Ware
- Purpose
- Type-site of Unstan Ware — stalled cairn with distinctive round-bottom bowls
- Rediscovered
- Modern excavation 1979
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 3450 BCE
Initial construction / first occupation at Unstan Chambered Cairn Stenness
1890 excavation
Modern rediscovery and scientific excavation of Unstan Chambered Cairn Stenness
c. 1200 BCE major extension
Major expansion / refurbishment at Unstan Chambered Cairn Stenness
On the ground
Structures & features
58.9950° N · 3.2660° W · 22 m · 3 mapped features
- Unstan Chambered Cairn Stenness — Principal Standing Stonestanding stonestanding stone at Unstan Chambered Cairn Stenness — primary structure58.9958° N · 3.2667° W
- Unstan Chambered Cairn Stenness — Northern Chamberchamberchamber at Unstan Chambered Cairn Stenness — outlier feature58.9941° N · 3.2677° W
- Unstan Chambered Cairn Stenness — Cairn Annex 3cairncairn at Unstan Chambered Cairn Stenness — outlier feature58.9948° N · 3.2642° W
Gallery