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Stone
Age Monuments and Neolithic Structures
in Ireland and Scotland
By
Kristina Smith, Adventure Canada
Traveling
to the western shores of Ireland, the Orkneys, the Shetlands and Northern
Scotland, you can explore the wild side of this storied land, stumbling
upon 4,000-5,000-year-old stone ruins amid the bright green countryside.
Here, Celtic crosses and artifacts reveal a timeless history, and you find
yourself surrounded by ancient works of art.
Hundreds
of stone monuments lie strewn across the British Isles. As early as 3300
B.C., standing stones (or “stone circles,” as most are in the shape of
a circle or flattened oval) began to be erected around the British Isles.
At least 900 of them still exist, the most famous being Stonehenge in
Wiltshire, England. Journeys to these prehistoric structures compel you to
consider their history and contemplate their purpose. But to explore this
strange and interesting world of ancient monuments and cultures, it helps
to have some background!
First,
a Little History
The
Stone Age is divided into three periods: the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and
Neolithic. Neolithic (meaning New Stone Age) Britain existed approximately
4,000 years ago. The growth and decline of this society, which left its
mark on the landscape in the form of great stone circles, settlements and
ceremonial enclosures, is a mystery. The immense stone circles are the
most puzzling of all the Neolithic creations. Today, only the stones
remain, but they were once part of a broader landscape of sites built of
timber and stone, erected in prominent positions in the heart of farming
communities.
The
stone circles were built with local stone, quarried from natural rock
protrusions by inserting wooden wedges into cracks and splitting the
stones. A five-meter long (16 feet) stone weighs about five metric tons;
therefore, it would have taken a great deal of time and effort to
construct these monuments and may have taken several generations to
complete them.
Many
theories have been put forward for the purpose of these circles, ranging
from alien landing areas to stellar observatories for high priests. Other
theories are a bit more ordinary – evolved forms of earlier henges (a
word for stone circles derived as a back formation from “Stonehenge”),
used as tribal gathering places for rituals based on the seasons and the
fertility of the earth.
The
Irish Factor
A
great place to begin your own pursuit of their meaning and purpose is
Ireland. Ireland has a rich archaeological heritage – based on current
knowledge, the first people arrived in Ireland sometime during the
Mesolithic period. Later, during the Neolithic period, another group of
settlers arrived in Ireland: the first farmers, who raised animals and
introduced agriculture, pottery-making and weaving.
The
Aran Isles, on the west coast of Ireland, consists of three islands.
Inishmor is the largest of these, and it is here you will see the
incredible archaeological site, Dun Aengus. The impressive 6,000-year-old
stone fortifications of Dun Aengus perch high on sheer, perpendicular
cliffs above the sea. Located on the southern edge of Inishmor, the
vantage point from Dun Aengus affords a view of the “valley” that
makes up the center of this saddle-shaped island.
Settlers came here to escape persecution on the
mainland, but life
was difficult. With little or no natural soil, inhabitants would
“harvest” seaweed and allow it to decompose to create what little soil
this method would afford. In order that the seaweed and soil would not
simply blow away, thousands of miles of stone fences were constructed.
Walking
among these walls imparts a profound emotion on one’s soul; to try to
fathom the hardship that inhabitants must have faced is difficult.
Standing, looking towards the impressive cliffs of Moher, one has to be
impressed by the perseverance, dedication and workmanship of the people
who made this home. The seas
around the Aran Isles roil constantly, slowing and incessantly changing
this landscape, and the power of the North Atlantic scours this stony
outpost, reclaiming the land one rock at a time. Today’s residents are a
hardy bunch with a fiery passion for the preservation of their Gaelic
heritage.
The
Orkneys
Traveling north, you
will opportunely find yourself in The Orkneys – a group of islands north
of Scotland’s
mainland – that is considered to be one of
the richest archaeological areas in the UK. The 4,000-year-old Ring of
Brodgar is found here, and is one of Europe's finest ancient Neolithic
monuments. Designated in 1999 as a Heart of Neolithic Orkney World
Heritage Site, The Ring of Brodgar is a magnificent circle of upright
stones, surrounded by a ditch spanned by entrance causeways. When the ring
was first erected, there were 60 stones here, in a perfect circle
104meters (340 feet) in diameter. Today, only 36 of the original stones
still stand.
The
construction of the circle would have been a mammoth task, estimated to
have taken more than 10,000 man-days to dig the ditch, plus several
thousand more to locate, transport and erect the stones. The question is,
why would a society that had such limited resources have spent so much
effort building the Ring of Brodgar? As only limited excavations have
taken place to date, there is a great deal still to learn.
The
ring conjures childhood memories of the Druids and Stonehenge; however, we
now know these impressive structures were here long before the Druids made
use of them. There are unseemly alignments with celestial events, the
purpose of which is still unknown, and largely given over to speculation
and various interpretations. Is the ring magical or powerful? We will
never know with certainty, however, there is an inexplicable energy here.
As one walks around the ring, something changes; the air is different,
much like the sensation just before a large summer thunderstorm. Despite
the cold North Atlantic winds sweeping over the grass promontory, touching
the stones is not as cold and harsh as one might expect – they almost
vibrate, inexplicable, improbable and completely captivating.
The
Last Word
Travel
to these remote islands is a trip worth taking, apart even from these
incredible ancient monuments. Go – for the history, the culture, the
people, and the music. You’ll surely return with a “new” view of the
ancient world.