4762 x 3190 px | 40,3 x 27 cm | 15,9 x 10,6 inches | 300dpi
Data acquisizione:
14 aprile 2016
Ubicazione:
Loch Stemster, Latheron, Caithness, Scotland, KW5 6DX, United Kingdom,
Altre informazioni:
Achavanich (Scottish Gaelic: Achadh a’ Mhanaich) is an unusual megalithic horseshoe-shaped structure. Meaning "field of the stones". The arrangement of these stones is extremely rare as the slabs are pointing towards the centre of the circle, rather than the typical side-by-side arrangement. Achavanich is located near Loch Stemster in Caithness. The tallest of its relatively small stones is 6 ft 6 in high. Only 36 stones remain in the setting, although there may have been about 54 originally. The stones are Caithness flagstone, and had to have been cut out of the underlying bedrock At most stone circles the flat faces of the stones follow the line of the setting, but at Achavanich the flat faces are 'side on'. The stone slabs appear to be set into a low mound of earth and stone, possibly the result of leveling the central area. The purpose and date of this structure are unknown, but it is usually assumed to belong to the Bronze Age. Outside the northeast corner of the setting are some small slabs (possibly the remains of cist burials) protruding through the turf. Close to the southeast there are also the remains of a chambered cairn, situated on a knoll.
