Stones of Stenness

The Standing Stones of Stenness are a Neolithic monument on mainland Orkney, Scotland, dating to approximately 3100-2900 BC and possibly the earliest henge in the British Isles. Originally 12 stones arranged in an ellipse about 30 metres in diameter, four survive today, reaching heights comparable to the nearby Watch Stone's 6.5 metres. Excavations in 1973-74 revealed a central hearth with charcoal, burnt bone, and Grooved Ware pottery, surrounded by a rock-cut ditch 2 metres deep and 44 metres across. The site is part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney UNESCO World Heritage Site.