The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

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Aberdeenshire (County)

Winter Solstice 'Secret Stone Circle' visit


The council are inviting you to 'soak up at the atmosphere at a well hidden stone circle as the daylight of the shortest day fades' on Sunday 21st December.

You must book in advance by telephoning 01771 622857 and will meet at Drinnies Wood car park, near Fetterangus.

Which of course gives away which circle it is - if you don't want to know, look away now.......







Sure?









Loudon Wood - so if you don't want to book, meet them there ;-)

Two new books on RSCs from RCAHMS


After years without any books on the Recumbent Stone Circles of Aberdeenshire, we will get two in the next couple of years - to quote Adam Welfare at RCAHMS:

"You may be interested to learn that we are presently working on two
books about Aberdeenshire. The most advanced is a detailed multi-period
study of the archaeology of the Don Valley, which we trust will be
published sometime this coming year (2007). This contains an overview of
the Recumbent Stone Circles and related stone rings, etc., within the
survey area. In the case of the RSCs, the Don Valley embraces about 50%
of the known examples.The cover may even feature a Hi-Spy shot of Easter
Aquhorthies . . ."

As a result of collecting so much info on RSC's during the course of researching this book, they decided to put it to good use and:

"because such a high proportion
of the known sites had been surveyed in the course of that study, we
decided to examine the remainder to the north and the south of this core
distribution and produce a separate volume devoted to the Recumbent
Stone Circles themselves. There were many reasons why this seemed a good
idea, not the least being that the class, itself, was long overdue a
review, as almost 150 sites have been attributed to it rightly or
wronglyover the years. This is likely to appear in about 12 to 18 months
time (2008).
Although the RSCs form the heart of this volume, it has been
necessarily to discuss them in relation to the many similar monument
types in their immediate neighbourhood and also further afield. Part of
the study is also devoted to a review of the development of the ideas
that have gradually accreted concerning their origin and purpose."

I can't wait! He also told me that full use of colour will be made throughout, in both photos and graphics, so they should be fantastic books. They will most likely appear under publication of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.

As with all publishing, the dates are subject to revision, but roll on 2008!

Woodhenge (Timber Circle)

Woodhenge bluestone discovery


A member of an archaeological team working under the direction of Josh Pollard made an exciting and significant find at the most recent excavation at Woodhenge (Wilthsire, England). The discovery was of a large piece of bluestone from the Preseli Mountain Range in south Wales. Read more

From Stonepages.

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