The Ring of Brodgar

The Ring of Brodgar

The Ring of Brodgar is a stone circle and henge located about six miles north-east of Stromness on Mainland in Orkney, Scotland. It is located 1.3 miles from the Standing Stones of Stenness and it is estimated to have been erected around 500-1000 years after the Standing Stones of Stenness were erected. It is thought that the Ring of Brodgar was erected around 2500 - 2000 BC. The Ring of Brodgar was built as a true circle and has a diameter of 103.6m, making it the third largest stone circle in the British Isles. Today, there are 27 remaining stones and is it is thought that were originally 60 stones in total. While there are accounts of some stones falling over time, there is currently no evidence of there being 60 stones in total. There are legends which link the Ring of Brodgar with the Standing Stones of Stenness. One legend involves the Ring of Brodgar as a symbolic area for the dead, whilst the Standing Stones of Stenness as a symbolic area for the living. The journey of life can therefore be represented by walking from the Standing Stones of Stenness to the Ring of Brodgar. There are other legends that reference the Ring of Brodgar as the temple of the sun and the Standing Stones of Stenness as the temple of the moon. It is possible that The Ring of Brodgar was built as an astronomical observatory. Professor Alexander Thom, a Scottish engineer who studied stones circles and their meanings for decades, speculated that stone circles were built to be used as astronomical observatories. He asserted that the Ring of Brodgar is a perfect example of a megalithic lunar observatory. However, Professor Thom thought that it could additionally be used as a sacred or magical ceremonial centre. The Ring of Brodgar is huge and it’s possible that it could have housed the entire local population, meaning it could have been used as a meeting place for ceremonies or events. It is also possible that great stone circles such as the Ring of Brodgar may not have been built to serve a particular purpose after their construction. Professor Colin Richards suggests that the act of building the monuments and erecting the stones was what may have been ritually significant for the people who did it.

standingstones

Estimated 2500 - 2000 BC

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22/04/2022

04/26/2022 04:50:22 pm

https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/ring-of-brodgar-p669061 , http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/brodgar/index.html , http://www.orkneyjar.com/archaeology/dhl/papers/cr/index.html http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/brodgar/brodgar3.htm , http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/brodgar/temples.htm

cm x cm x cm

https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/ring-of-brodgar-p669061 , http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/brodgar/index.html , http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/brodgar/brodgar3.htm , http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/brodgar/temples.htm , http://www.orkneyjar.com/archaeology/dhl/papers/cr/index.html

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The Ring of Brodgar

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