The Callanish stone circle on the Isle of Lewis consists of 13 stones surrounding a tall central menhir, with four avenues radiating in cardinal directions to form a Celtic cross shape. Dating to roughly 2900–2600 BC, the monument was built from Lewisian gneiss, among the oldest exposed rocks in the world, quarried within a mile of the site.
Callanish main stone circle: 13 stones, central monolith, and Celtic cross avenues dated to 3000-2500 BC
Key facts
- Callanish features a central stone circle of 13 stones with a large central menhir (tallest in the circle)
- The site is surrounded by four avenues extending in cardinal directions (north, south, east, west), forming a Celtic cross shape
- The main stone circle may date to around 3000-2500 BC, with the central cairn possibly added later
- A burial cist in the center was rediscovered in the 1850s after peat clearance
- The site is built from Lewisian gneiss, sourced within a mile of the site, described as the oldest known rock on the planet
Site mentioned
📍 Callinish Standing Stones [Island of Lewis] - Callanish II🌍 Show on the globe
Sources
The Callanish Standing Stones: Stonehenge of the Northnathab.com
The Callanish Standing Stones are Lewisian gneiss ritual stones on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland's Outer Hebrides that predate Stonehenge by ...
Callanish Walk - Walks in Isle of Lewis, Lewisvisitouterhebrides.co.uk
Make your way to the west side of Lewis to discover the iconic Callanish Standing Stones (Calanais I). ... A captivating stone circle of 12 standing stones, ...
Calanais Standing Stoneshistoricenvironment.scot
The Calanais Standing Stones are an extraordinary cross-shaped setting of stones erected 5,000 years ago. They predate England's famous Stonehenge monument,
Standing Stones - Isle of Lewisisle-of-lewis.com
The most impressive set of stones is called Callanish 1 and the circle can be seen clearly from the main road (A858)It consists of rows of large pieces of ...
Calanais Standing Stones & Visitor Centre on Isle of Lewis ...calanais.org
Built from ancient Lewisian Gneiss, these are among the oldest exposed rocks in the world. The stone circle dates to approximately 2900–2600 BC, placing it ...
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