The Stone Age in NE Scotland
Recumbent Stone Circles
The North East of Scotland has very distinctive stone circles and Grampian Archeaeology estimate that there are around 99 in this area. Many more have been lost during field clearance for modern agriculture.
They were created around 2000-1500 BC, accurately positioned to observe the rising or setting moon on completion of its 18.6 year cycle. Ancient peoples, 5000BC onwards, had a profound fascination with the movement of the universe and had deep understanding of mathmatics which they used in the precise placement of monuments and stones.
The main feature of the circles in this area is a massive recumbent slab in the south western side of the ring, flanked by the two tallest stones of the circle. The recumbent stone weighs up to 24 tons. The complete circle usually has between 6-8 further stones.
Old Keig
Landranger map No.37. OS grid ref: NJ596194
On a slight crest of a ridge, this ruined stone circle comprises an enormous 53-ton recumbent. With dimensions of 4.9m x 2.1m, it is the biggest known recumbent stone in Aberdeenshire.The huge block is of sillimanite gneiss; not a local stone, it probably comes from the Don valley, 10km away and would have taken approximately one hundred people to move and erect it. Apart from the recumbent and its two flankers only one upright of the original stone circle survives.
Back to top.Cothymuir Stone Circle
Landranger sheet No.37. OS grid ref: NJ617198
This recumbent stone circle lies in a clearing among the trees just NE of Keig along 'The Lord's Throat'. On the Forbes Estate, Cothiemuir is now the location of a Natural Woodland Burial site.
The circle stones are of red granite. The huge basalt recumbent is 4.2m long, weighs more than 20 tons and resembles a whale. The two flankers are 2.7m and 2.9m high with rectangular and triangular cross-sections. On the recumbent's outer face are some probable cup marks, locally known as the 'Devil's Hoofmarks'. At the centre of the circle there are some loose stones and a granite slab covering a burial pit.
Back to top.Sunhoney
Landranger sheet No.38. OS grid ref: NJ715056
A large stone circle, 26.7 m in diameter, consisting of a recumbent and 11 standing stones. The recumbent is a colossal 5.3 m long and the 7 cup marks on its present upper surface which has originally been the stone's outer face. Evidence of a funeral type pyre and 8 deposits of burnt bones were found in the central area.
Back to top.Easter Aquhorthies
Landranger sheet No.38. OS grid ref: NJ732207
This is one of the best preserved recumbent stone circles in Grampian. It is an almost perfect circle, 19.5m in diameter, comprising nine broad stones of pinkish porphyry and, in one case, red jasper. They are graded in height from 1.1m to 1.7m. Then there are the two grey granite flankers (more than 2m in height: they are the highest uprights of the monument) and the recumbent of red granite, that is 3.8m long. Two blocks define an area in front of the recumbent's inner face. Excavations in 1934 found traces of a later internal cairn.
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Maiden Stone
Landranger sheet No.38. OS grid ref: NJ703247
The Maiden Stone is one of the few Class 2 Pictish monuments in the North East of Scotland. This upright slab of red granite is 3.01 m high with relief carvings of a cross on one side and symbols on the other. The cross is surmounted by a man between two fish monsters, while there is a large disc below the cross. On the reverse is a centaur like figure, a notched rectangle and z rod, a beast and what looks like a mirror and double sided comb. The name 'Maiden Stone' is said to come from the legend of a daughter of a Laird of Balquhain who was turned to stone on her wedding day after losing a bet with the devil.
Back to top.Tap o'Noth
Landranger map No.37. OS grid ref: NJ484293
The Tap o' Noth, a vitrified hill fort, is clearly visible from Ford and is very much part of the landscape in our area. From a distance it resembles a volcano and there are remains of the granite pluton which originates 20-30 miles below the ground surface. It makes a wonderful outing for a walk with only the last section being a bit of a climb.
Vitrified Hill forts represent only one of several types of defensive site in the north-east, dating from c 900BC to c AD 900 (according to archaeologists). They are called 'vitrified' because the stones of their rampart walls have been fused together by intense heat, caused by the firing of a wall strengthened by beams of timber running through it.
The Tap is 1,400ft high, making it the highest Iron Age hill fort in Scotland. The summit is saucer shaped with a huge rampart of stones 20ft in breadth and height. There are many indicators of Stone Age/Neolithic activity with tumuli around the base with bones, flint heads and stone axe heads having been discovered. Many consider these high hilltops have been in use as 'signaling points', for the co-ordination of ceremonies/events, during a much earlier time period.
Back to top.Dunnideer
Landranger sheet No.37. OS grid ref: NJ612281
The remains of a medieval castle on Dunnideer Hill are a prominent feature on the Aberdeenshire skyline near Insch. The ruins lie inside a much older Iron Age vitrified fort, with a maximum length of 70m that crowns the summit.
Just below Dunnideer Hill Fort, are the remains of two stone circles. These are different from the other stone circles, in that they don't have a recumbent. Instead the flanking stones are either side of a rock which is disc-shaped and upright/on it's side.
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