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<< Our Photo Pages >> Balnuaran Of Clava NE - Clava Cairn in Scotland in Highlands

Submitted by Andy B on Tuesday, 19 January 2016  Page Views: 14379

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Balnuaran Of Clava NE Alternative Name: Mains of Clava NE, Clava Cairns
Country: Scotland County: Highlands Type: Clava Cairn
Nearest Town: Inverness
Map Ref: NH7576744478  Landranger Map Number: 27
Latitude: 57.473487N  Longitude: 4.073219W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
 4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
 5 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
 5 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
 5

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I have visited· I would like to visit

SumDoood KieKa would like to visit

rachelh visited on 23rd Mar 2024 - their rating: Access: 5

hallsifer visited on 3rd Dec 2023 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4 Gorgeous site with a whole lot of information on the various plaques about. Went just before the winter solstice unfortunately but the sun was already close to lining up with the enterance way to this particular one.

Catrinm visited on 26th Mar 2022 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 5

sba_dk visited on 7th Jul 2019 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 5

bishop_pam visited on 14th Apr 2018 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 5

ChrisHealey visited on 1st Oct 2017 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 4

XIII visited on 9th May 2017 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 5

kelpie visited on 1st Sep 2016 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 5

SolarMegalith visited on 16th Jun 2015 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 5

SandyG visited on 8th Aug 2014 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 4 Access: 5

BolshieBoris visited on 1st Jul 2004 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 5

coldrum visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 5

Bladup DrewParsons AngieLake TimPrevett coldrum Klingon HaggisAction have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 4 Ambience: 4.36 Access: 4.83

Balnuaran of Clava NE
Balnuaran of Clava NE submitted by blackwater : Winter Solstice sunset (almost, taken a couple of days after), NE passage cairn. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Stone Circle and Passage Grave in Highland. Three large cairns all surrounded by a circle of standing stones ( stand 50m and 70m apart close to the River Nairn. The whole area was said to have been covered with prehistoric monuments in the 19th century, but due to agricultural improvements in the last couple of centuries sadly many have been destroyed.

This site is composed of a ring cairn with a chamber and passage fully exposed enclosed by a ring of ten standing stones. There are cupmarks on several of the stones including two of the kerb stones, the standing stone to the north-west of the passage, the fourth standing stone from the entrance on the north-west side of the passage and a horizontal slab in the chamber wall.

References: The Chambered Cairns of the Central Highlands, A.S.Henshall & J.N.G.Ritchie (Edinburgh Uni Press, 2001).

Original text and page by Vicky Morgan
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Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by Bladup : Clava Cairns (The North East Cairn and Circle). This Original Artwork in a glass frame is £39.99 + Postage (Just whatever it costs), and is 18 cm x 12 and a half cm. A Limited (to a 100) edition print in a 8" x 10" glass frame would be £19.99 + £2.90 postage, E-mail me at paul.blades@rocketmail.com if interested. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Balnuaran of Clava NE
Balnuaran of Clava NE submitted by steveco : Balnuaran of Clava NH757444. 3 Clava Cairns, 2 Passage & 1 Ring. (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by icpictures : Taken on sunset 17/1/2016 when the sun illuminated ice in the entrance to the main Cairn (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by mattchapman : 21-12-15 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by SandyG : A distinct platform standing up to 0.4m high extends beyond the kerb. Excavations have shown this platform is contemporary with the kerbed passage grave. View from north (8th August 2014).

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by SandyG : The stone circle, platform and passage grave are all contemporary. View from south (8th August 2014).

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by Bladup : Balnuaran Of Clava NE.

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by Antonine : 2008

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by DrewParsons : Close up of the imposing stone on the western side of the ring which surrounds the N E Cairn. September 2010.

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by Antonine : 2008

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by Antonine

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by SolarMegalith : Cup-marked boulder constituting part of the kerbing (photo taken on June 2015). (1 comment)

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by SumDoood : Let's make a safe assumption - I know almost nothing about this place, OK. But from the little reading I've done before and after my visit on 27 Feb 2016 I recall no reference to that stone, which has on it the most visible rock art anywhere nearby, being located on what seems to me to be the most northerly point on the wall / kerb of this cairn. It cannot be a coincidence that the item is a...

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by mattchapman : 21-12-15

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by postman : About 2 am, and very spooky, an owl was present for added spookiness. (2 comments)

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by DrewParsons : View of the whole of the N E Cairn. September 2010.

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by DrewParsons : View from the chamber looking back down the passage of the N E Cairn. September 2010.

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by DrewParsons : The passage into the N E Cairn. September 2010

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by DrewParsons : The imposing stone forming part of the circle around the N E Cairn, with the cairn and its passage behind it. September 2010.

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by DrewParsons : The N E Cairn. September 2010

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by DrewParsons : The N E Cairn with its kerb stones and outer ring of standing stones. September 2010

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by AngieLake : This is the stone near the NE cairn that I christened the '2001 Stone' after the monoliths in '2001- A Space Odyssey'. A crystal on this NE face gave me a strange sensation when I held my hand over it. In case anyone wants to check it out: I'd recorded it about 2/5ths of the way up from the ground, and about 1/3rd across the stone's width from the right. My plan shows it as kidney-shaped, or bo...

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by spindrift : Clava cairns in September.

Balnuaran Of Clava NE
Balnuaran Of Clava NE submitted by Klingon : There are many overgrown stones at the ground, maybe these are destroyed megalithic structures. (1 comment)

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 62m SW 228° Balnuaran of Clava Centre* Ring Cairn (NH7572044438)
 108m WSW 237° Balnuaran of Clava Kerb Cairn* Cairn (NH7567444422)
 125m SW 217° Balnuaran of Clava SW* Clava Cairn (NH7568944380)
 126m NNE 13° Balnuaran of Clava (Stone)* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NH758446)
 132m SSE 164° Balnuaran of Clava E* Clava Cairn (NH75804435)
 297m ENE 70° Mains of Clava SE* Cairn (NH76054457)
 722m SW 224° Milltown Of Clava* Cairn (NH7525043971)
 956m SW 221° Culdoich* Ring Cairn (NH75114378)
 1.1km NW 313° Cumberland's Stone* Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature (NH74974526)
 1.4km W 267° Leanach NE Chambered Cairn (NH74344444)
 1.5km W 265° Leanach Stone Circle (NH743444)
 1.5km WNW 287° The Well of The Dead* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NH7431844971)
 1.6km WSW 257° Culchunaig* Stone Circle (NH74194416)
 1.7km S 187° Culdoich S Stone Circle (NH755428)
 3.1km SW 231° Forrest Cottage* Chambered Cairn (NH733426)
 3.6km WNW 282° St Mary's Well (Culloden)* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (NH723453)
 4.3km NE 49° Dalgrambich Farm* Standing Stones (NH79104715)
 4.5km NNE 27° Dalcross Mains* Stone Circle (NH779484)
 4.6km SW 220° Daviot Ring Cairn* Stone Circle (NH727411)
 4.6km NW 313° Cullearnie* Stone Circle (NH72504768)
 4.7km NNW 329° Newton Of Petty Ring Cairn (NH73484858)
 5.2km NW 305° Allanfearn* Chambered Cairn (NH716476)
 5.6km WNW 294° Milton Stone Row Stone Row / Alignment (NH70704690)
 6.7km W 274° Beechwood Farm Site Ancient Mine, Quarry or other Industry (NH6908045190)
 6.7km W 269° Essich House Class I Pictish Symbol Stone (NH69004456)
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The Imagined Sound of Sun on Stone - Sally Beamish

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"Balnuaran Of Clava NE" | Login/Create an Account | 6 News and Comments
  
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Clava Cairns, Midsummer Full Moon and the Major Lunar Limit by Andy B on Wednesday, 12 June 2019
(User Info | Send a Message)
THE CLAVA CAIRNS OF SCOTLAND, MIDSUMMER
FULL MOON AND THE MAJOR LUNAR LIMIT
J. Anna Estaroth
University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Lampeter,

The Clava Cairns of the Central Highlands of Scotland were recognised by Aubrey Burl (1973) as largely
lunar orientated. Their defining feature is a southwest orientation, as described by Audrey Shore Henshall
(1972), Stuart Piggott (1982), Clive Ruggles (1999) and Richard Bradley (2000). However Balnuaran of Clava
has two passage-graves which Ewan MacKie (1975) found aligned with midwinter sunset and Bradley (2016)
compared this orientation with those of Maes Howe, Durrington Walls and Stonehenge. Bradley (2000) also
suggested that midsummer sunrise at Balnuaran of Clava connected the central ring-cairn with a separate
monument at Mains of Clava, neither monument being directly opposite Balnuaran's passage-graves. This
posed questions about the comparative roles of ring-cairns and passage-graves, light versus dark, potentially
summer versus winter.
This paper considers the major lunar limit, by exploring the topography of the region's river systems
which are orientated northeast-southwest. Skyscape archaeology fieldwork focused on the southern horizon
and the major lunar limit at one hundred and thirty eight locations. One hundred riverside (non-cairn) locations constituted the expected baseline for data, plus thirty eight cairn sites. Each exhibited a lunar horizontal
event during major lunar limit years, ranging from normal to invisible. Most Clava cairns were located at
sites where interesting lunar phenomena were visible, such as skimming, disappearing and emerging, despite the bulk of the terrain being in midsummer full moon darkness (non-visibility) during major limit
years. Balnuaran of Clava was significantly different, exhibiting midwinter sunset, while experiencing midsummer full moon darkness, confirming Ruggles' (1999) description of the site as exceptional.

http://maajournal.com/Issues/2018/Vol18-4/18_Estaroth%2018(4).pdf

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1478022
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Re: Balnuaran Of Clava NE by SpaceTravellor on Monday, 01 February 2016
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This may be somewhat far out, but IMO many round hills represents the mythical "Cosmic Mound" which in many cultures describe our Milky Way in the numerous Stories of Creation.

If so, the passage could have the function of pointing towards the galactic center. When the Earth orbits the Sun, a directional line to the Milky Way center can be observed on Jan. 4th at midnight.

The "ruler" to find the galactic center can be acchieved by finding Sirius in Canis Major, draw a line over the celestial pole area and further on to the star Vega in Lyra. When prolonging this line, it gives the direction to the galactic center.

An example of the cosmic mound read here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Meru#Hindu_legends

Quote:
"Mount Meru of Hindu traditions has clearly mythical aspects . . . and having the Sun along with all its planets in the Solar System revolve around it as one unit".
------------
This can only deal with the Solar System orbiting the Milky Way Mound/center. So maybe we shall focus a little more on this topic when working with astroarchaeology?
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Street View by coldrum on Wednesday, 17 March 2010
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Re: Balnuaran Of Clava NE by TimPrevett on Wednesday, 28 June 2006
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See HERE for an excellent pdf file on the Clava cairns.
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Re: Balnuaran Of Clava NE by eforrest25 on Sunday, 08 May 2005
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I visited this site in 1989, and the setting was nothing short of idyllic. There were towering trees at the time and visitors seemed so much more respectful than at other more well known sites. If you are visiting Culloden Moor (Dromossie), it is a very short distance away.
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Re: Balnuaran Of Clava NE by Anonymous on Wednesday, 21 May 2003
Good site, easy access and parking nearby,
good size.

Chris
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