Scottish Highlands - Prehistoric Sites

On a hill overlooking Shandwick Bay stands an 8th-century Class II Pictish cross-slab carved with a mix of traditional Christian and Pictish symbols. The stone is housed inside a glass structure to protect it from weathering.
New Street, Shandwick, Highlands and Islands, Scotland, IV20 1XQ

Attraction Type: Prehistoric - Pictish Stone
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Heritage Highlight: Superb Pictish and Christian carvings

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A Neolithic chambered cairn surrounded by a low earthwork stands in a wooded clearing near the River Naver. According to local legend, a holy man known as the 'Red Priest', was killed by Vikings at the entrance to the cairn.
Skail, Highlands and Islands, Scotland

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Heritage Highlight: Did St Maelrubha die here in AD 722?

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Skara Brae is the best-preserved group of Stone Age (main periods of settlement between 3100-2500BC) houses in western Europe. Long covered by sand, they were uncovered by a storm in 1850. The stone houses, linked by covered passageways, contain stone furniture. There is a modern museum explaining the history of the site and showing what life was like for the inhabitants 5,000 years ago.
Skaill, Mainland, Orkney, Highlands and Islands, Scotland

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There are several prehistoric monuments on the southern slope of South Clettreval hill. The easiest to access is a fascinating combination of an aisled house and a chambered cairn. The cairn was established first, and the aisled house was later built over the west end of the cairn. The whole site was enclosed within an enclosure wall.
Tigharry, North Uist, Highlands and Islands, Scotland

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Staneydale is an intriguing Neolithic hall, or ritual temple, containing a large oval chamber, surrounded by the ruins of stone houses and cairns.
Walls, Mainland, Shetland, Highlands and Islands, Scotland

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Heritage Highlight: Mysterious oval building - what was it used for?

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Steinacleit Stone Circle is a small stone circle set upon a low hill overlooking a mere, with a central structure within the circle. The exact nature of the central structure is a bit of a mystery; it has been variously described as a chambered cairn and a prehistoric homestead. Most of the stones have fallen; only five or so remain upright.
Isle of Lewis, Shader, Western Isles, Highlands and Islands, Scotland

Attraction Type: Prehistoric - Standing Stones
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The dramatic remains of a stone circle surrounded by remains of a circular earthwork. There are several extremely tall and slender stones, with several small and squat stones. Stenness is sited in a beautiful lochside location, a short walk from the Ring of Brodgar.
Finstown, Mainland, Orkney, Highlands and Islands, Scotland

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Taversoe Tuick is a very unusual two-storey Neolithic chambered mound with two burial chambers, one on top of the other. This type of tomb has been found in only one other location in the Orkneys. There is a smaller, third chamber, outside the lower chamber. Taversoe Tuick was built about 5000 years ago and only rediscovered in 1898 when the local laird was having a summer seat built for his wife.

Brinian, Rousay, Orkney, Highlands and Islands, Scotland

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Two attractions in one; the Tomb is a chambered cairn dating to approximately 3000 BCE. When excavated it was found to contain the bones of over 340 people, and the remains of sea eagles, pottery, bead, and stone tools. These artefacts can be viewed - and handled - in the modern visitor centre. The Bronze Age Burnt Mound (also known as Liddle Burnt Mound) consists of a burnt stone and refuse mound with an associated dwelling. The dwelling, which had a form of running water, may have been used as a kind of ceremonial sweat lodge. The Tomb of the Eagles is also known as Isbister Chambered Cairn.
Liddle, St Margaret's Hope, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, Highlands and Islands, Scotland, KW17 2RW

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An Iron Age broch stands in an idyllic position on a sloping hillside looking over Loch Alsh. Built in the late 1st millennium BC, the broch has some unusual features made necessary by the sloping site.
Letterfearn, Highlands and Islands, Scotland

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