There is something humbling about standing amidst an ancient monument like the Stone Circles of Mainland Island in the Orkneys, Scotland. As old as 2500 B.C., such mysterious destinations remind you that human beings like yourself walked this earth millennia ago and made what contributions they could in their short lifespans — and your fate essentially no different from theirs.
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There are two main sites on Mainland Island – the Neolithic Orkney (sort of a caveman tourism HQ) and a protected UNESCO Heritage Site. The Ring of Brodgar is larger and includes more stones, while The Standing Stones of Stenness nearby includes larger individual monuments.
For both venues, archeologists and historians are unclear as to what purpose the stone circles served. They might’ve been ancient observatories or places of worship. Or, they could’ve served simply as well-marked meeting places for social gatherings and festivals. The main theory says it was probably some mix or all of the above.
More than 100 yards across, the Ring of Brodgar (top) is the larger of the circles. It once included as many as 6o stones, but weather and time brought the current total down to 27. The Standing Stones of Stenness (below) holds no more than 12 monoliths in total, but it is made up of larger pieces — some as high as 15 feet.
Both stone circles are free to visit and allow travelers the chance to walk amongst them and touch them — unlike the more famous Stonehenge to the south that were often marked up or otherwise molested by overeager, disrespectful tourists. In addition to providing an ancient mystery, both circles serve to remind the visitor that are time here is short and lost in the eons of history. So, we better out up a few monuments of our own in this life.
All photos by John Scott Lewinski
The Stone Circles of The Orkneys, Scotland
The stone circles of the Orkneys highlight neolithic Scotland and could predate the famous work at Stonehenge.
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The Stone Circles of The Orkneys, Scotland
The Ring of Brodgar on Mainland Island in the Orkneys of Scotland is an ancient stone circle historians believe is as old as 2500 years B.C.
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The Stone Circles of The Orkneys, Scotland
The Ring of Brodgar on Mainland Island in the Orkneys of Scotland could've been used as an observatory, a place of worship or simply as a meeting place.
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The Stone Circles of The Orkneys, Scotland
Many of the stones within the Ring of Brodgar on Mainland Island in the Orkneys were toppled by lightening or worn down by weather.
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The Stone Circles of The Orkneys, Scotland
The stone circle making up the Ring of Brodgar on Mainland Island in the Orkneys is more than 100 yards across.
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The Stone Circles of The Orkneys, Scotland
Some of the stones within Ring of Brodgar on Mainland Island in the Orkneys were partially repaired in the past to keep them standing.
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The Stone Circles of The Orkneys, Scotland
The Ring of Brodgar on Mainland Island in the Orkneys originally contained around 60 megaliths.
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The Stone Circles of The Orkneys, Scotland
The Ring of Brodgar on Mainland Island in the Orkneys now contains only 27 of around 60 original stones.
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The Stone Circles of The Orkneys, Scotland
Standing a short drive from The Ring of Brodgar on Mainland Island in the Orkneys, the Standing Stones of Stenness once including 12 monuments.
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The Stone Circles of The Orkneys, Scotland
The Standing Stones of Stenness include monoliths much larger than those in the The Ring of Brodgar on Mainland Island in the Orkneys.
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The Stone Circles of The Orkneys, Scotland
The stone circles of Mainland Island in the Orkneys make up part of an island-wide UNESCO Heritage Site.
