Wideford Hill Chambered Cairn, Orkney, Scotland.
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WIDEFORD HILL
CHAMBERED CAIRN
KIRKWALL
ORKNEY
SCOTLAND
INTRO
ON MAINLAND ORKNEY, TWO MILES WEST OF KIRKWALL ON THE OLD FINSTOWN ROAD IS WIDEFORD HILL CHAMBERED TOMB. A NEOLITHIC SITE DATED TO 3100BC WHICH WAS REDISCOVERED IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY BY A FEW LOCAL BOYS. THE CAIRN IS IN THE CARE OF HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND.
THE SMALL CAR PARK HAS STUNNING ELEVATED VIEWS OVER KIRKWALL. A HALF MILE WALK OVER WIDEFORD HILL ON A ROUGH MUDDY PATH TAKES YOU TO THE TOMB. THERE IS BEAUTIFUL SCENERY OF THE ORKNEY LANDSCAPE INCLUDING THE TWO ISLANDS OF HOLM OF GRIMBISTER AND DAMSAY ON THE BAY OF FIRTH. A SHARP EYE WILL MAKE OUT THE SIMILAR CUWEEN HILL CAIRN.
WIDEFORD HILL IS BLANKETED BY HEATHER AND MANY ANIMALS THRIVE ON THE TERRAIN INCLUDING THE ORKNEY VOLE. THIS ANIMAL WAS BROUGHT TO THE ISLAND BY SEAFARERS FROM THE NEOLITHIC ERA. WIDEFORD HILL IS LESS VISITED BUT JUST ONE OF ORKNEYS VERY IMPRESSIVE PREHISTORIC SITES. FILMING INSIDE THE CHAMBER PROVED VERY DIFFICULT WITH THE CONFINED SPACE AND FURTHER OBSTRUCTION OF THE ENTRANCE LADDER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TOMB.
SITE
OUR ANCIENT ANCESTORS CONSTRUCTED THE TOMB ON A MANMADE LEVELLED OFF BASE. THIS WAS DUG INTO THE HILLSIDE AND IS A FINE CONSTRUCTION, STILL IN REMARKABLE CONDITION AFTER FIVE MILLENNIA. THIS IS TESTAMENT TO THE MAJOR ENGINEERING AND MULTI SKILLED WORK BY PREHISTORIC PEOPLE. THE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE IS REMINISCENT OF MAESHOWE.
THE SITE IS NOW ENTERED THROUGH A SLIDING HATCH IN THE MODERN ROOF. LADDERS GO DOWN INTO THE MAIN 3M HIGH CORBELED CHAMBER WHICH NARROWS UPWARDS. ORIGINALLY THE MAIN COMPARTMENT WAS ENTERED BY A VERY AWKWARD LOW PASSAGE, 5.5 METERS LONG WHICH IS ILLUMINATED BY THE SETTING SUN IN LATE FEBRUARY.
AT GROUND LEVEL THREE SMALL SUBSIDIARY CELLS OR CHAMBERS, BRANCH OFF FROM THE MAIN COMPARTMENT. ON THE INSIDE WALL OF THE MAIN CHAMBER IS RARE NEOLITHIC SCRATCH ART FROM 3000BC. SIMILAR MARKS ARE FOUND AT SKARA BRAE, A FEW OF THESE ANCIENT DESIGNS HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BY MODERN GRAFFITI.
EXCAVATIONS
ON THE SITES FIRST EXCAVATION IN 1849 BY GEORGE PETRIE AN ANTIQUARIAN. THE MAIN CHAMBER WAS TWO THIRDS FILLED WITH RUBBLE. THE SITE HAD BEEN INTENTIONALLY FILLED IN AFTER ITS CONSTRUCTION. THE CAIRN HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY PLUNDERED AND ROBBED. HUMAN REMAINS WERE NOT FOUND HOWEVER ANIMAL BONE AND TEETH WERE UNCOVERED.
HOWARD KILBRIDE-JONES EXCAVATED IN 1935 AND FOLLOWING THIS THE SITE WAS RECONSTRUCTED TO REVEAL THE CIRCULAR, THREE CONCENTRIC RING, STEPPED DESIGN.
REMNANTS OF A SETTLEMENT WAS FOUND DURING EXCAVATION AT THE BOTTOM OF WIDEFORD HILL. THIS SETTLEMENT IS LIKELY CONTEMPORARY WITH THE TOMB, THIS SUGGESTS A RELATIONSHIP. THE SITE MAY HAVE SERVED AS SOME KIND OF CEREMONIAL BUILDING FOR THE SETTLEMENT BELOW.
FUNCTION
THE ORIGINAL FUNCTION OR LIKELY MULTI-FUNCTIONAL USE OF THE SITE IS LONG LONG LOST TO US. A FEW THEORIES ARE, CEREMONY, RITUAL, INITIATION, MEDITATION, A WOMB TOMB INTO MOTHER EARTH & CONTACTING THE ANCESTORS.
ORKNEYS NEW STONE AGE INHABITANTS WOULD HAVE CROUCHED DOWN ON THEIR KNEES TO ENTER THE PITCH BLACK TUNNEL AND MADE A JOURNEY FROM DAYLIGHT TO THE DARKNESS OF THE CENTRAL AND OFF SHOOT CHAMBERS FOR A LONG LOST NEOLITHIC CEREMONY PERHAPS CONDUCTED BY THE LOCAL SHAMAN.
A BIG THANKS TO OUR ANCIENT ANCESTORS.
Best Attractions and Places to See in Kirkwall, United Kingdom UK
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List of Best Things to do in Kirkwall, United Kingdom (UK).
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The Orkney Museum
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Scapa Flow
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Cuween Hill Chambered Cairn
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Ancient Orkney Tour | 14th - 21st August 2019 | Megalithomania
Megalithomania and Nicholas Cope presents ANCIENT ORKNEY TOUR - August 14th - 21st 2019 (7 nights / 8 days). Explore the Ring of Brodgar, the Stones of Stennes, Maeshowe Chambered Tomb, the archaeological dig at the Ness of Brodgar, The Tomb of the Eagles, Skara Brae, Wideford Hill and Cuween Hill chambered tombs, Unstan Tomb, various museums, Kirkwall town and cathedral and numerous standing stones and sites not on the itinerary. We will also take island visits to Papa Westray (on the world's shortest flight) to see the Knap of Howar, a ferry to Hoy to see the Dwarfie Stane and numerous megalithic constructions on Rousay Island! All in one week!
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Compilation Feature: Oldest Structures in Europe
Structures included in the list has to be;
-Located in Europe
-Is a recognizable building
-Entrance can be seen
Dates are approximated as they are derived from radiocarbon dating
1 Barnenez France Finistère, Brittany Grave 4850BC
2 Tumulus of Bougon France La-Mothe-Saint-Héray, Bougon Tumulus/Barrow 4700BC
3 Saint-Michel Tumulus France Carnac, Brittany Tumulus/Burrow 4500BC
4 Monte d'Accoddi Italy Porto Torres, Sassari Temple 4000BC - 3650BC
5 Knap of Howar Scotland Papa Westray, Orkney island House 3700BC
6 Ggantija Malta Xaghra, Gozo Temple 3700BC
7 Dolmen of Menga Spain Antequera, Málaga Tomb 3700BC
8 West Kennet Long Burrow England Avebury, Wiltshire Tomb 3650BC
9 Listoghil Ireland County Sligo, Connacht Tomb 3550BC
10 Stoney Littleton Long Burrow England Wellow, Somerset Tomb 3550BC
11 La Hougue Bie Jersey La Route de la Hougue Bie, Grouville Grave 3500BC
12 Midhowe Chambered Cairn Scotland Rousay, Orkney Island Tomb 3500BC
13 Gavrinis France Gulf of Morbihan, Brittany Tomb 3500BC
14 Wayland's Smithy England Ashbury, Oxfordshire Tomb 3460BC
15 Unstan Chambered Cairn Scotland Mainland, Orkney Island Tomb 3450BC
16 Loughcrew Ireland Oldcastle, County Meath Tomb 3400BC
17 Knowe of Yarso Scotland Rousay, Orkney Island Tomb 3350BC
18 Quanterness Scotland Mainland, Orkney Island Tomb 3250BC
19 Tarxien Temples Malta Tarxien, South Eastern Region of Malta Temple 3250BC
20 Newgrange Ireland West of Drogheda, County Meath Burial 3200BC
21 Skara Brae Scotland Mainland, Orkney Island Tomb 3180BC
22 Tomb of the Eagles Scotland South Ronaldsay, Orkney Island Tomb 3150BC
23 Dolmen de Bagneux France Saumur, Maine et Loire Dolmen/Tomb 3000BC
24 Grey Cairns of Camster Scotland Caithness, Scottish Highlands Tomb 3000BC
25 Hulbjerg Jættestue Denmark Langeland, Bagenkop Grave 3000BC
26 Dolmens of North Caucasus Russia 12,000 square kilometres of Russia and Abkhazia Tomb 3000BC
27 Taversoe Tuick Scotland Rousay, Orkney Island Tomb 3000BC
28 Holm of Papa Scotland Mainland, Orkney islands Tomb 3000BC
29 Barpa Langass Scotland North Uist, Outer Hebrides Tomb 3000BC
30 Cuween Hill Chambered Cairn Scotland Kirkwall, Orkney Island Tomb 3000BC
31 Quoyness cairn Scotland Sanday, Orkney island Tomb 2900BC
32 Maeshowe Scotland Mainland, Orkney Island Tomb 2800BC
33 Knowth Ireland Boyne Valley, County Meath Grave 2500BC - 2000BC
34 Capel Garmon Wales Bro Garmon, Conwy valley Tomb 2500BC
35 Dowth Ireland Boyne Valley, County Meath Tomb 2500BC
36 Labbacallee Ireland Glanworth, County Cork, Tomb 2300BC
37 Dolmen de Viera Spain Antequera, Málaga Tomb 2000BC
38 Dolmen of Cava dei Servi Italy (Sicily) Modica, Ragusa Tomb 2000BC
39 Rubha an Dùnain Scotland Skye, Scottish Highlands Tomb 2000BC
40 Corrimony chambered cairn Scotland Drumnadrochit, Scottish Highlands Tomb 2000BC
41 Knossos Greece Heraklion, Crete Palace 2000BC - 1300BC
42 Bryn Celli Ddu Wales Llanddaniel Fab, Anglesey Island Tomb 2000BC
43 Balnuaran of Clava Scotland Nairn, Scottish Highlands Tomb 2000BC
44 Vinquoy cairn, Eday Scotland Eday, Orkney Island Tomb 2000BC
45 Nuraghe Santu Antine Italy (Sardinia) Torralba, Sassari Fort? 1600BC
46 Su Nuraxi di Barumini Italy (Sardinia) Barumini, South Sardinia Fort? 1500BC
47 Nuraghe La Prisciona Italy (Sardinia) Arzachena, Sassari Fort? 1400BC
48 The King's Grave Sweden Kivik, Skåne Tomb 1400BC
49 Treasury of Atreus Greece Argolis, Peloponnese Tomb 1250BC
50 Naveta d'Es Tudons Spain Balearic island, Menorca Ossuary 1200BC - 750BC
51 Dún Aonghasa Ireland Aran Islands, County Galway Fort 1100BC
52 Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia
Necropoli della Banditaccia Italy Cerveteri & Tarquinia, Lazio Tomb 700BC
53 Temple of Hera Italy Province of Salerno, Campania Temple 550BC
54 Tomb of Seuthes III Bulgaria Kazanlak, Stara Zagora Tomb 450BC - 400BC
55 Parthenon Greece Athens, Attica Temple 432BC - 447BC
56 Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak Bulgaria Kazanlak, Stara Zagora Tomb 300BC - 400BC
57 Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari Bulgaria Sveshtari, Razgrad Tomb 300BC - 200BC
58 Broch of Mousa Scotland Mousa, Shetland Broch/Home 100BC
59 Dun Carloway Scotland Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides Broch/Home 100BC
Sources:
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Touring Great Britain in 1994 (3/6)
With a Citroen Dyane.
- North Scottish coast
- Ferry to Orkney Islands
- Old Man of Hoy
- Driving in Orkneys
- Ring of Brogar
- Broch of Gurness
- Scapa Flow
- Italian Chapel
- Ship Wrecks
- 200,000 km
- Cuween Hill Chambered Cairn
The Orcadian Connection
A short video explaining the Orcadian connection to Rome during its early invasions of Britain.
Tomb of the Eagles Ancient Orkney Scotland New 2019 Megalithic Maiden Jj Ainsworth
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Tomb of the Eagles Ancient Orkney Scotland New 2019 Megalithic Maiden Jj Ainsworth
Tomb of the otters Orkney
Down inside the tomb
Orcadians
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Orcadians are the native population of the Orkney islands.Historically, they are descended from the Picts, Norse and Scots.Jim Baikie British comics artist, who is best known for his work with Alan Moore on Skizz.William Balfour Baikie , explorer and naturalist.
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