The Standing Stones of Caithness
Encyclopedia
The Standing Stones of Caithness by Leslie J Myatt, 2003, is the first complete description of megalithic standing stone
sites in Caithness
, in the Highland
area of Scotland
, since 1911, when the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
produced its Caithness Inventory.
and of new surveys in Caithness. In particular Myatt describes alignments relevant to theories of megalithic astronomy
, as developed by Alexander Thom
. To enable understanding of these descriptions Myatt includes a chapter called Megalithic Astronomy, which details changes in the apparent movements of the sun and moon, as seen from earth. This chapter concludes with a description of the 16-month solar calendar
developed or recreated by Thom (Megalithic Sites in Britain, Oxford University Press
, 1967) and supposed to have been used by those who erected the megaliths.
Myatt identifies over 60 standing stone sites in Caithness. These are described in chapters called The isolated stones (which includes pairs of stones), The stone circle
s and The stone row
s. The stone rows are peculiar to Caithness and the neighbouring county of Sutherland
: they consist of fan-shaped arrangements of small stones, each stone rising 50 centimetres or less above ground level.
Myatt groups sites also with respect to the traditional parish
es of Caithness, following perhaps the practice of the Royal Commission in 1911.
The distribution of the standing stone sites is compared to some degree with that of chambered cairn
s, which are also well represented in Caithness.
Standing stone
Standing stones, orthostats, liths, or more commonly megaliths are solitary stones set vertically in the ground and come in many different varieties....
sites in Caithness
Caithness
Caithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is...
, in the Highland
Highland (council area)
Highland is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in both Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole. It shares borders with the council areas of Moray, Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross, and Argyll and Bute. Their councils, and those of Angus and...
area of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, since 1911, when the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government 'sponsored' [financed and with oversight] through Historic Scotland, an executive agency of the Scottish Government...
produced its Caithness Inventory.
Overview
Myatt's inventory includes new discoveries, puts on record the destruction of sites since 1911, and attempts to reassess sites in the light of relevant recent work throughout BritainGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and of new surveys in Caithness. In particular Myatt describes alignments relevant to theories of megalithic astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, as developed by Alexander Thom
Alexander Thom
Alexander "Sandy" Thom was a Scottish engineer most famous for his theory of the Megalithic yard, categorization of stone circles and his studies of Stonehenge and other archaeological sites.- Life and work :...
. To enable understanding of these descriptions Myatt includes a chapter called Megalithic Astronomy, which details changes in the apparent movements of the sun and moon, as seen from earth. This chapter concludes with a description of the 16-month solar calendar
Solar calendar
A solar calendar is a calendar whose dates indicate the position of the earth on its revolution around the sun .-Tropical solar calendars:...
developed or recreated by Thom (Megalithic Sites in Britain, Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, 1967) and supposed to have been used by those who erected the megaliths.
Myatt identifies over 60 standing stone sites in Caithness. These are described in chapters called The isolated stones (which includes pairs of stones), The stone circle
Stone circle
A stone circle is a monument of standing stones arranged in a circle. Such monuments have been constructed across the world throughout history for many different reasons....
s and The stone row
Stone row
A stone row , is a linear arrangement of upright, parallel megalithic standing stones set at intervals along a common axis or series of axes, usually dating from the later Neolithic or Bronze Age. Rows may be individual or grouped, and three or more stones aligned can constitute a stone row...
s. The stone rows are peculiar to Caithness and the neighbouring county of Sutherland
Sutherland
Sutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...
: they consist of fan-shaped arrangements of small stones, each stone rising 50 centimetres or less above ground level.
Myatt groups sites also with respect to the traditional parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
es of Caithness, following perhaps the practice of the Royal Commission in 1911.
The distribution of the standing stone sites is compared to some degree with that of chambered cairn
Chambered cairn
A chambered cairn is a burial monument, usually constructed during the Neolithic, consisting of a cairn of stones inside which a sizeable chamber was constructed. Some chambered cairns are also passage-graves....
s, which are also well represented in Caithness.
See also
- Stone LudStone LudThe Stone Lud is a standing stone in the parish of Bower in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland. It is located and about south of Castletown....
- Hill O Many StanesHill O Many StanesThe Hill O Many Stanes is a south-facing hillside in Mid Clyth, about south of Wick in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland, which has about 200 upright stones, none more than a metre high, set out in rows running approximately north and south with the incline. The rows are not parallel,...
- Celtic calendarCeltic calendarThe Celtic calendar is a compilation of pre-Christian Celtic systems of timekeeping, including the Gaulish Coligny calendar, used by Celtic countries to define the beginning and length of the day, the week, the month, the seasons, quarter days, and festivals....