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The Megalithic Portal and Megalith Map : Index >>
Stones Forum >> Earliest stone circle?
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Earliest stone circle? |
Andy B
Joined:
13-02-2001
Messages: 7006
from Surrey, UK
 ON-Line
|  Posted 14-03-2004 at 23:08
I know they're difficult to date, but what are the oldest competitors, please?
Cheers,
Simn Frame
(replies to sfmframe or leave a note here)
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DavidRaven
Joined:
19-11-2002
Messages: 89
from West Yorkshire
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| Posted 14-03-2004 at 23:18
And can I ask when the majority were constructed? Or does it differ from region to region in the Uk?
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Vicky
Joined:
22-06-2001
Messages: 92
from Macclesfield, Cheshire
OFF-Line
| Posted 15-03-2004 at 10:28
According to Aubrey Burl, the oldest stone circles, known as 'boulder circles' are located in north-west Ireland and may have developed from the Neolithic passage tombs. These include circles such as those at Carrowmore in Co. Sligo. Radiocarbon analysis provided a date of between circa 3900 - 3650BC in the Neolithic.
Other early circles (dating to between 3200-2500BC) include Ballynoe in County Down, Balquhain in Aberdeenshire, Castlerigg, Swinside and Long Meg and her Daughters in Cumbria, The Ring of Brodgar in Orkney, The Rollrights in Oxfordshire and Stanton Drew in Somerset. Many of these are very large and may have served a similar function to the Neolithic henges, acting as meeting and trading places.
The majority of smaller circles, however, were constructed in the Bronze Age, a few hundred years either side of 2000BC.
Cheers
Vicky
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