Skara Brae

Stone circles can be found all around the United Kingdom. These structures range in size and most commonly hold connections to folkloric tales or practices, and are usually regarded as being sacred. Many theories have been crafted over time concerning stone circles. However, their true known origins are vague and open for interpretation, which makes them a complex topic to discuss and research. By linking stone circles in various places in the United Kingdom and their connections to folktales, cultural practices, and other various meanings, we are able to draw information regarding the importance of stone circles and begin to expand our understanding of a significant part of Britain and Ireland’s ancient material culture. Stone circles are found all over the world, but the most notable are found in Europe. The earliest known stone circles were found in the United Kingdom during the Neolithic period and have been speculated upon for many years. Archaeological evidence indicates stone circles were used for various uses such as religious ceremonies, agricultural work, and solar and lunar observatories. While researching this topic I came across a large amount of information regarding Stonehenge and other well-known stone circles. However, as I continued researching, I began to examine lesser-known formations of stone circles and was able to trace more connections to British and Irish folklore through stories I found in research articles and books. These more obscure stone…

that “Early ‘landscape design’ elaborated on humankind’s intuitive impulse to dig and to mound”. With this said, our ancestors from the pre-history started their construction works by marking on the grounds and raising stones. Back to these times, the earth was mainly a one whole landscape area where people treated natural landscaping as their homes. However, they began to adjust and change the use of the land to discover and understand what nature has to offer. Tim Waterman who is the author…