Just a fifteen minute drive from Water's Edge
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 archeologist 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. |
