Great Crowns of Stone

The Recumbent Stone Circles of Scotland

Recumbent stone circles are among the most spectacular ancient structures you could ever hope to see. Silhouetted against a skyline, they dominate the landscape for miles around, presenting a range of architectural devices that draw the visitor to confront a massive horizontal stone placed between two tall pillars on a southern arc. These recumbent stones – ‘altar stones’ in popular folklore – are blocked doorways to another world; a world sprung from the imaginations and beliefs of peoples who lived some 4,000 years ago.

The densest concentration of stone circles in the British Isles is found in north east Scotland. Although far from Stonehenge, these monuments have much in common with that famous structure and other great rings of the ancient world. While some of Scotland’s circles have suffered grievously – plundered of their stones and ploughed up in the 18th and 19th centuries – many still survive largely intact, preserving their enigmatic legacy.

Illustrated by unique plans and photographs, Great Crowns of Stone is the product of more than ten years of research, drawing on studies stretching back to the early 16th century. A landmark book, it presents the most radical and complete account of these evocative ancient monuments ever published.

"Thorough, scholarly, beautifully illustrated . . . Sheds fascinating new light on Scotland's most enigmatic stone circles." Current Archaeology

"Detailed but never dry, this is a magnificently glossy tome for the coffee table but also for the back seat of the car as you seek out Scotland's ancient stone circles for yourself." Scotland in Trust

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