One is even believed to be the oldest henge monument in the entire UK.
In news guaranteed to bolster the national pride of Scots everywhere, last week it was revealed that Stonehenge's iconic Altar Stone came from Scotland rather than Wales, as previously believed.
This fact might seem surprising, but there is actually a longer history of stone circles in Scotland than in England, with not one, but five sets of Scottish standing stones that are older than Stonehenge. The circle is made up of tall stone slabs with angled tops. There were originally 12, but only four remain today. The Stones of Stenness are close to the famous archeological site of Skara Brae. Historic Environment Scotland say: "Stenness is a unique and early expression of the ritual customs of the people who buried their dead in tombs like Maes Howe and lived in settlements like Skara Brae.
This week's top Scotland Now stories 3. The Ring of Brodgar Heading back to Orkney, we have the Ring of Brodgar, which is believed to be 5,000 years old - making it older than Stonehenge and the pyramids of Egypt, but younger than the Stones of Stenness. However, there is still some debate about its precise age as there have only been limited archaeological investigations there.
It's also a fascinating place to visit. The burial chambers at Clava Cairns were looted and emptied out a long time ago, but it's believed they were the final resting places of extremely important people. Also, Clava Cairns stone circle was the inspiration for Craigh Na Dun in the Outlander novel and series.
Historic Scotland Arran Inverness Orkney Western Isles
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