Stone-circles Homepage

With approximately 1,000 stone circles in the British Isles, there is no question that it was the heartland of the stone-circle builders for thousands of years. In Britain, the stone-circle building phase was preceded by a short period of 'Henge' building. However, there are also stone-circles outside the British Isles, and some are older....

9,000 BC	Gobekli Tepe, Turkey. The oldest known megalithic temple/circle in the world.

4,500 BC	Nabta, Egypt. Oldest known stone circle. Placed on the Tropic of Cancer.
4,000 BC	Cromleque dos Almendres, Portugal. Twin circles. Possibly the oldest in Europe.
3,800 BC	Xaghra circle, Gozo, Malta. (location of Hypogeum II)
3,300 BC	First British circular enclosures of earthen banks (1)
3,250 BC	Newgrange (stone-circle), Llandegai I Henge (1)
3,200 BC	Barford Henge, Arminghall Henge (1)
3,100 BC	Ballynoe, Carles (1)
2,950 BC	Stennes (1)
2,800 BC	Stonehenge I (1)
2,600 BC	Avebury Stone Circles (1)
2,500 BC	Early Recumbent Circles (1) - (Lunar observation)
2,400 BC	Arbor Low (1)
2,350 BC	Merry Maidens (1)
2,300 BC	Rollrights, Woodhenge (1)
2,200 BC	Stonehenge II, Llandegai II Henge, Druid's Circle (1)
2,150 BC	Stonehenge IIIA (1)
2,100 BC	Stonehenge IIIB (1)
2,000 BC	Callanish (1)
1,900 BC	Berrybrae recumbent ()
No stone-circles appear to have been built in N. Europe after 1,500 BC (2)

(After Burl - 1.)

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Stone circle facts: The circumference of the Stonehenge stone circle is the same as of the circumference at the top of Silbury hill, and it is also exactly one 'quarter aurora', a standard unit of Egyptian measurement.

The classification of stone circles.

The plain stone-circle (one which is circular), is not as common as might be first expected. There are now several classifications of 'circles', such as:

Oval, Ellipse, Egg-Type I, Egg-Type II, Recumbent, Henge, Henge (1A), Henge (1B), Henge (1C), Henge (II), Henge (IIB), Circle-Henge, Ring-Cairn, Kerb-Cairn, Flattened Circle A, Flattened Circle B, Flattened Circle C, Flattened Circle D, Timber, Concentric, Sub-circular, Four-poster, Axial... (Enough... enough...)

The fact that so many of these categories are determined by the shape of the 'circle', and that new circles can be classified according to their shape confirms the suspicions of Alexander Thom, who first realised the 'megalithic yard' and thereby, that there is an underlying geometry that determines the shape of these circles.

(More about Alexander Thom)

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The purpose of stone circles

Stone-circle development occurred across the ancient world for thousands of years, and there are several different types of circle, with several showing changes in use and design over time. Many stone circles have been shown to have strong associations with both geometry and astronomy. In several examples, the specific location of the circle can be shown to have been more important than the availability of stone.

Even more remarkable than the stones themselves is our ignorance over their original purpose. Fergusson attempted to tackle the subject in 1880, concluding that they were originally constructed as 'holding pens', 'meeting places', or 'memorials of great battles'. Geoffrey of Monmouth, in 1135 wrote that they originated in the 'remotest confines of Africa,' and were 'transported by giants' to Ireland, creating a possible reference to early communications with Egyptian culture (as suggested by Lockyer).

The evolution of the stone circle reveals much about their probable purposes. It has long been suspected that henges were designed in order to create an artificial horizon line, and in Scotland, recumbent circles have been shown to have had an lunar association (see below). It is now clearly understood that most circles served an astronomical function (i.e. at Stonehenge), with the possible inclusion of rituals of death (i.e. at Xaghra circle, Malta). The discovery of specific astronomical purposes behind the stone circles (see below), is far removed from the earlier ideas of Fergusson (although we still have a long way to understanding them as established ideas about the megalithic builders still persist).

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Stone-circle facts: Excavations under the Xaghra stone circle on Gozo, Malta have revealed the presence of a second Hypogeum, which was built from huge slabs of stone and has so far revealed the presence of over 70 bodies.

Stone circles and astronomy.

Although it is not possible to say that all stone circles were built for astronomical purposes, it is clear that some were. A connection to both lunar and solar observations has been recognised in the design of Stonehenge, and the numerous RSC's (recumbent stone circles) of Scotland, are also identified with lunar observation.

There are only two latitudes in which the Moon's maximum declination is the same as the latitude, meaning that at its maximum elongation it goes through the zenith (directly overhead). These two latitudes are 38.33˚ N (Almendres), and 51° 10' N (Stonehenge).

The connection between stone circles and astronomy is not however, so clean-cut. A visit to almost any circle is all one needs to realise that although certain stones were selected to demonstrate a preference for orientation (with portal stones or through a gradation in height), the stones of most circles were placed evenly apart around the circumference, having a symbolic placement rather than a functional one. The choice of stone over wood added to the selection and transport of specific types of stones over long distances illustrates the importance of stone itself to the circle builders.

The Nabta stone-circle is the only megalithic construction of its kind in Egypt. It is positioned exactly on the Tropic of Cancer.

The people at Nabta built an observatory — a 12-foot (4-meter) circle of huge slabs of stone, with four pairs of taller stones aligned opposite each other. Two pair provided a "window" on the solstice sunrise, while the other two aligned on an almost-perfect north-south axis. Nabta's calendar circle was used at least 6,000 years ago, and probably earlier

Nabtans erected several other megaliths in the area - dark stones up to 3m above the desert landscape, scattered across a square mile. Some of the megaliths formed north-south and east-west sightlines, like a giant stone compass, and probably remained visible when the summer inundation filled the Nabta basin.

"We see two kinds of astronomy here — solstice alignments and cardinal alignments," says J. McKim Malville, a professor of astronomy at the University of Colorado at Boulder and a member of the team that confirmed the alignments in a paper published earlier this year.

"The astronomical nature of the site was clear while we were there," says Malville. "These alignments are so simple and straightforward, there's no doubt about them."

Because of Nabta's proximity to the Tropic of Cancer, the noon sun is at its zenith about three weeks before and three weeks after the summer solstice, preventing upright objects from casting shadows.

(More about Nabta)

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The geometry of stone circles

Burl makes note of the 'mistaken coincidence' about the number of stones in the British stone-circles. He says of it:

'From Brodgar, where there was once 60 stones, to the Stripple stones with a probable thirty, the builders may have counted in multiples of six. Stennes had twelve. The inner and outer rings at Balfarg have been computed at twenty-four and twelve respectively. Twenty-four has been suggested for Cairnpappel, thirty-six for Arbor Low, and the same number for the devils quoits'. (3)

Thom radically suggested that geometry was used in the design of certain prehistoric sites. He surveyed hundreds of European megaliths and concluded that fundamental mathematic principles, based upon a common unit of measurement (which he called the megalithic yard), had been applied in the design of certain sites. As the megalithic tradition in Europe can be traced back to at least 4,000 BC, if not earlier still, his work is still not accepted by most archaeologists, although such a strong presence of geometry should not be ignored, as is clearly suggests that the design of many sacred sites seems to have been based on a sophisticated philosophy of sacred science such as was taught centuries later by the Pythagorean school. As Professor Thom observes in his book Megalithic Sites in Britain (1967):

“It is remarkable that one thousand years before the earliest mathematicians of classical Greece, people in these islands not only had a practical knowledge of geometry and were capable of setting out elaborate geometrical designs but could also set out ellipses based on the Pythagorean triangles.”

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Recumbent stone circles (RSC's).

Scotland is home to hundreds of 'Recumbent' stone circles. These circles are usually fairly small, the largest being (Innesmill (B5/1 at 110 ft diameter). Recumbent circles in the Grampians of Scotland have been shown to have a primary association with the observation of the extreme setting points on the lunar cycle. They are defined by a prominent 'recumbent' stone, positioned horizontally, so that the moon sets behind it at both extremes of its cycle, and upon which stones cup-marks are often found.

In Aberdeenshire, with a mean latitude of 57° 30's, the moon at its maximum, will rise at 155° SSE, and set at 205° SSW. Of the 48 recumbent's where it is possible to plot their axis, 45 have recumbent between these limits. The remaining were placed at 230°, 231° and 232°, the min moon setting.

(Ref: Burl. Stone circles).

It is an interesting fact that the only recumbent circles found outside of Scotland, are in the Ross-Carbery area of Ireland, which places them too far south to make them any use as lunar observatories, and have in fact been shown to be solar in their orientation. Cope (4), makes note of the Drombeg RSC, where the sun has been observed setting at midwinter (solstice), directly into a notch in the landscape behind the recumbent stone.

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Triple circles.

England is home to examples of numerous double circles, as well as several 'Triple-circles' such as 'The Hurlers', Merrivale, Stanton Drew, Avebury, Thornborough and Grey Wethers, to name but a few. Their exact purpose is still only to be guessed at, but a geometric and/or astronomic association is predicted . (More to follow soon...)

(From left to right: The Pipers, The Hurlers and Avebury).

The theme of triple-aligned circles is also common to henges, such as the Priddy circles, and Thornborough.

An example of a 'Triple RSC' may be found at Loanhead of Daviot, in Scotland, where the three Neolithic recumbent circles are aligned. The circle in Daviot churchyard was removed in 1820, and all that remains of New Craig is the recumbent, its flankers and a few odd stones now built into a field wall. (4)

Do you know of any other triple-circles...If so, where have you seen them? Do you have an ideas as to what they were for, or any information that might help explain them in terms of form and function. Feel free to contribute to the site by emailing us - or alternatively, add your voice to the debate on our Discussion Forum.

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Stone-circles Gallery: Stone circles from around the world.


Stonehenge, England	Avebury, England	Rollrights, England	Castlerig, England	The Hurlers, England

	Er Lannic, France	Carnac, France	Petit St. Bernard, France/Italy

Xaghra Circle, Malta		Gobekli Tepe, Turkey.		Cromleque dos Almendres, Portugal

Other stone-circles.

Name	Location	Description
Gobekli Tepe.	Turkey	9,000BC Temple complex composed of t-shaped menhirs in circles.
Nabta	Egypt	This stone circle is only a part of the important megalithic complex at Nabta, located on the tropic of Capricorn.
Nr Tangiers	Morocco	A stone circle was found near Tangiers. (9).
Los Milhares	Spain	A chambered mound surrounded by a stone circle.
Talati de Dalt	Spain	A Stone Circle and 'talayot' towers.
Trepuco	Spain	A Stone Circle and 'talayot'.

Others - Libya, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon are reported to have hundreds of circles and free-standing stones. (9).

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The 'Rough Guide' to ancient sites from around the world.

Index of Ancient and Sacred sites

References:

1). A. Burl. Rings of Stone. 1979. Book Club Assoc.

2). A. Service & J. Bradbery. Megaliths and their Mysteries. 1979. Macmillan.

3). Burl. A. Prehistoric Henges. 1997. Shire publ.

4). D. Sullivan. Ley Lines: A Comprehensive Guide to Alignments. 1999. Piatkus press.

9). Rene Noorbergen. Secrets of the Lost Races. New English Library. 1977.

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