Prehistoric Chambered Tombs
Introduction This evening, I am reporting on two prehistoric monuments located near Creetown in Galloway, southern Scotland. They date from between 4000 and 6000 years ago, mainly during the Neolithic period. More information on the tombs These chambered tombs were built to house the remains of many people and were in use over many centuries.Their creation required a major work commitment by the community. This work was seasonal taking place during quiet times in the farming and fishing year. Chambered cairns can be found in parts of Scotland, Ireland and the Atlantic coast of Europe although designs vary. The two cairns (Cairnholy I and II) would have looked quite different when first constructed. All that remains are the basic 'skeleton' of each cairn. This is because the core 'in-fill' of each structure has removed to form field boundaries and for other purposes. In Cairnholy 1 the curving facade of standing stones once formed the backdrop to a forecourt in fro...