Cullerlie

In a fairly low-lying location, this circle consists of 8 rough boulders set in a circle 10.1 m in diameter.

Excavation has established the following construction sequence:

• the area was levelled
• the stones erected
• the ground burnt all over by bonfires of willow twigs

A pit was dug in the centre of the circle and used as a fire pit. A small cairn with a pronounced kerb was built over this pit and seven smaller cairns were constructed inside the circle on top of the ash layer.

In some of the cairns were found burnt bone, charcoal, flint tools and a fragment of pottery.

The surrounding rich farmland is now part of the Dunecht estate, but once supported the early farmers who built the Circles and carved the Symbol Stones. The monument is one of the few on the Circle in a low position. Why is this? What was the sequence of events involved in the construction of the circle and its pit and cairns?

Directions

• Grid ref: NJ 785 042 Ordnance Survey Landranger series sheet no. 38

Turn south off B9119 Aberdeen/Tarland road at Garlogie, in 250m fork left; circle lies on left of road in 1km.